An Up Close and Personal
LYNCHBURG, VA -- To some of you, Wally Gilbert, is just the name of a track meet held each year at Heritage High School in Lynchburg, Virginia. However, I had the pleasure of getting up close and personal with the man, Wally Gilbert, and I can tell you he is much more than just a name.Wally Gilbert was born in 1930 and raised in the foothills of North Carolina in the small town of Rutherfordton. After graduating from R. S. Central High School where he excelled in football and track and field, he attended Lenoir Rhyne College on a football and track and field scholarship. Gilbert was a mainstay on the Lenoir Rhyne defensive unit as he was a long term starting defensive back. However, track and field was his love, as he became a standout running all sprints, the broad jump, and 880 and mile relays. After watching this man move all day long during a fast pace track meet, I believe he could still compete at the age of 73.
It was at Lenoir Rhyne College that Gilbert’s future was sealed. A freshman by the name of Nancy Heavner from Lincolnton, NC caught the eye of the star upperclassman. It was love at first sight as he told his roommate, “She doesn’t know it yet, but she is going to be my wife.” Gilbert graduated from Lenoir Rhyne in 1953, married, and went to the Marines. Two of his college teammates, Bob Sherill and Gene Robinson, came to Lynchburg to help with the football team at E.C Glass. In 1955, the E.C. Glass Hilltoppers were running the same single wing offense as Lenoir Rhyne was running. Sherrill and Robinson convinced Gilbert to join them and Gilbert became assistant coach in February of 1956. He intended to stay until June to return to his roots in North Carolina, but became entrenched, as he was the assistant football and track and field coach to the great Vince Bradford for 20 years.
In 1976, E.C. Glass was split into two schools and Heritage was formed. After 20 years as an assistant, Wally Gilbert became the head track coach at Heritage High School where his legacy was established. From 1976 until his retirement in 1991, Gilbert took a new school and made them a powerhouse in track and field. His Pioneer teams won 8 Western District titles, 4 Northwest Region titles, 3 State runner-up titles, and 2 State championships. In 1990 his indoor team won his First State title, and in 1991 his final year as coach his outdoor team won his Last State title. The 1991 outdoor team overcame a second place finish at the Northwest region meet to capture the State crown. Gilbert was a 2 - Time Virginia Coach of the Year, and has received the distinguished Walt Carmichael award for outstanding service to track and field.
In 1990, Gilbert took his indoor State championship team to Syracuse New York to compete in what was called an “unofficial” National Championship Meet. The meet director dubbed his Pioneer squad National Champions as they took first place from a talented field. The highlight of the meet was Heritage’s Tyrone Turpin winning the 60-yard dash in a photo finish as he nipped Tyrone Wheatly at the line. Wheatly went on to have a very distinguished professional career as a running back in the NFL.
There have been numerous students and athletes that have been impacted by this man over the 35 years he coached in Lynchburg. Some notables are Keith Hamilton of the N.Y. Giants and the NFL, Leland Melvin that went on to Richmond and made his legacy as an astronaut, and John Vasvary who was mentored by Gilbert and became head track and field for the University of Virginia and Pittsburgh University. Vasvary coached the Olympian sprinter Roger Kingdom.
Presently, Wally Gilbert is still substitute teaching, managing rental property, and playing golf 2 days a week. He said his main activity is hiding from his wife’s honey - do list. Most of us know him by his smiling face as the starter for several track meets including the one that bears his name. Yes, he was the quite unassuming starter Saturday at the Wally Gilbert Invitational. This state is very fortunate that Wally Gilbert decided to remain in Virginia for more than a few months. I am blessed that I got to do this interview.