Former longtime Black Diamonds coach to be enshrined in OCA Hall of Fame on Saturday night
You could say that on Saturday night, former longtime Sallisaw football coach Virgil Terry will see everything come full circle.
Terry will be one of 13 individuals to be among the Oklahoma Coaches Association Class of 2025 Hall of Fame inductees during the OCA Hall of Fame Banquet at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Marriott Southern Hills in Tulsa.
“I was more or less awestruck,” Terry said when he found out in early April that he was going to be part of this year’s OCA Hall of Fame inductees. “I knew I had been nominated by a former Sallisaw Hall of Fame football coach, Ron Etheridge. This was the second time, (with the first nomination) by Coach Craig Benson about eight to 10 years ago. I think it’s a tremendous honor. I’m tickled to death to be one of them (OCA Hall of Fame Class of 2025), and it makes me feel good. I’ve been anticipating it, and I’m glad it’s finally here.”
Terry is glad he is joining other Sallisaw coaches in the OCA Hall of Fame.
“It kind of really feels like Mount Rushmore,” he said. “Count the number of football coaches from Sallisaw who are already in the (OCA) Hall of Fame. The surprising part was the years that I coached football, only the last five years was as head coach. I spent the first seven years coaching in Florida. I coached at Sallisaw High School for 31 years.”
It’s truly going to be a family affair for the longtime Sallisaw football coach Saturday night when Terry gets to be enshrined.
“I’m looking forward to Saturday night because I will have my daughter and son-in-law, grandsons and a greatgranddaughter in attendance,” Terry said. “It’s going to be good.”
To make it all the more special, one of Terry’s former players will be attending the big night’s event.
“I had a guy the first time I coached football in Florida contact me by the name of Mark Jackson,” the longtime Sallisaw football coach said. “We got to talking, and he will be there Saturday night. He’s coming from Arizona. He’s a kid I’ll never forget. He was one of the first ones. I lost him for a year to a private school. He was a good football player. After he finished his first season there, he said, ‘I’m ready to come back!’ By then, I was at a different high school. He came and played his next two years there. He got a scholarship to The Citadel. He’s been very successful ever since. Those are the kinds of stories you like to hear. It was a total shock to hear from that guy. To me, he was a kid then. Now he’s 70 or 71 years old. I hear from past players. I wouldn’t say quite often, but more often than I haven’t. It’s always a pleasure. Those contacts always make you feel really good.”
Terry will be joined by Wagoner’s Joe Gordon, Muskogee’s Theodore “Ted” Clement, Pawhuska’s Duke Atterberry, Midwest City Carl Albert High School’s Mike Corley, Tulsa Cascia Hall High School’s Bob Craig, Bartlesville’s Steve Hesser, Dale’s Harold Jones, Broken Arrow’s Randall King, Piedmont’s Steve Lykes, Sapulpa’s Rick Patterson and Tuttle’s Matt Surber.
Also Northeastern State University’s Randy Gipson will be enshrined due to his distinguished service.
