Inductees range from state champions to the voices and hands of Friday night

GATESVILLE — A three-time conference player of the year now coaching in the state semifinals, a 1971 state champion, a Sports Emmy winner and three men who have worked the same press box since 1996 make up the Gates County High School Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2026.

Twelve people were inducted during a recent Friday ceremony at the Red Barons’ football field. Seven were athletes and five were supporters, and the class spans graduating years from 1968 to 2016.

Story’s photo of the inductees comes from Gates County Schools.

I’ve always had a special place in my heart for Gates County — so here’s the good news about these very impressive inductees.

Benjamin C. Saunders Jr., founder of Gates County Community Partnership and a member of the Hall of Fame Committee, served as emcee. He told the crowd that some of the honorees gave the school unforgettable performances on the field and court, while others gave their time, resources and encouragement so that generations of students could have those opportunities.

“Tonight, we celebrate achievements that brought pride to our school, but we also recognize something that cannot always be measured by a scoreboard: character, commitment, and service,” Saunders said.

Each inductee was introduced with a summary of his or her accomplishments and then given a chance to speak.

Kaila Ballard, Class of 2016, played volleyball, basketball and softball and earned All-Conference and Academic All-Conference recognition. In basketball, she was a three-time conference player of the year and three-time team MVP, and she earned first-team All-District honors. Gates County won three straight conference titles during her career, going 45-1 in conference play.

She earned a basketball scholarship to Liberty University and finished college at North Carolina A&T State University. She coached at Central Middle School and West Craven High School before returning to Gates County, where she led the Lady Red Barons to the 2A state semifinals this year.

Saunders described her as a Red Baron whose story has come full circle.

“You have experienced the pride of representing this school as a player, and now you are helping another generation understand what that pride means,” Saunders told her.

Five of the seven athletes in the class played football, and all five were on the 1973 Gates County team that advanced to the Eastern Regional Finals.

Ed Outland, Class of 1974, also played on the 1971 state championship team as a sophomore. As a senior, he earned first-team All-State honors, scored 25 touchdowns and rushed for 1,400 yards. He played at Chowan Junior College and graduated from North Carolina State University. Outland also coached youth sports and organized labor and raised money to help build homes for people affected by Hurricane Floyd.

His nomination recalled his courage, determination, strength and dependability as a teammate.

Steve Milam, Class of 1974, was a first-team All-State selection. He caught 52 passes, scored 12 touchdowns and also kicked, including field goals. He was invited to walk on at the University of Alabama under coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. His nomination cited his integrity, work ethic, loyalty and generosity toward community efforts.

Steve Tinkham, Class of 1974, quarterbacked the 1973 team and earned All-State recognition. He played junior varsity quarterback at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was also an All-Conference baseball catcher and received an invitation to try out for the Cincinnati Reds. Tinkham later coached youth baseball and basketball in Gates County, supported the Athletic Booster Club, served in church leadership and led the Hall Ruritan Club. His nomination emphasized integrity, civic service and the sportsmanship he encouraged in young athletes.

William Hinton, Class of 1975, earned honorable mention All-East honors as a junior and first-team All-East as a senior. He played at Chowan Junior College and graduated from East Carolina University. Hinton is a lay minister and public speaker who has mentored students and others facing difficult circumstances. His nomination described a strong commitment to fairness and justice.

“The honors you earned as an athlete are an important part of your story,” Saunders said. “So, too, is the example you have offered through your concern for others and your willingness to guide and encourage them.”

Walter Odom, Class of 1975, earned All-East honors in 1974. He started all four years at North Carolina Central University, from 1975 through 1978, and played for the Carolina Chargers semi-pro team in Charlotte. His career in higher education included stops at Winston-Salem State University, Texas A&M University, the University of Tennessee and Norfolk State University. He now runs a consulting business that helps high school and college students plan their paths to success.

Odom’s nomination described a player admired by coaches, teachers and teammates, someone selfless with an exceptional work ethic.

Dr. Jalisa Bradley Parrish, Class of 2007, played three sports and started three years in basketball and varsity softball. She was conference player of the year in 2007, and Gates County reached the state Final Four in 2005 and 2007.

She received a full scholarship to play Division I softball at Tennessee State University, where she was the starting catcher for four seasons and a team captain as a senior. She graduated with honors from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, and now operates a dental practice in Edenton. Her nomination cited volunteer work at softball clinics, the Salvation Army, medical clinics and food banks, and described a disciplined teammate and a personable leader.

Kaye Hollowell Barker, Class of 1968, was first-team All-East and MVP in basketball. She has spent three decades supporting Gates County student-athletes. She founded the school’s chapter of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, organized team trips to college games, provided food for team travel and offered tutoring and college entrance preparation. She has been active in the Athletic Booster Club, initiated its recent reorganization to a sponsor level, and helped connect community support to provide pregame meals for the football team for 20 years.

Barker is in her third term on the Gatesville Town Council, served two decades on the State Capitol Foundation Board of Directors and has chaired the annual Veterans Day Service in Gates County for 15 years. She also chaired the effort to acquire historic highway markers for Thad Eure, T. S. Cooper, Annie Holland, Elsie Riddick and Horace Williams, involving student-athletes in the ceremonies. She has served on local scholarship boards and on one for her alma mater, North Carolina State University.

Barker was also instrumental in creating and launching the Hall of Fame itself.

“Tonight, someone who helped make recognition possible for others receives a place of honor herself,” Saunders said.

Three other supporters have staffed the football press box since 1996.

Danny Byrum, Class of 1969, attended Pitt Community College and East Carolina University and has been the team’s spotter. Johnny Savage, Class of 1978, an East Carolina alumnus, has been the public-address announcer, and his nomination called him the “Voice of the Barons.” Perry Tyler, Class of 1975, also an East Carolina alumnus, has run the game clock. All three have been annual sponsors of the Athletic Booster Club.

Their community involvement runs deep. Byrum’s nomination cited Ruritan projects, Gates County Emergency Ministries, Meals on Wheels, nursing-home visits and disaster rebuilding. Savage was recognized for church outreach, mission trips, mentoring and contributions toward athletics, equipment and facilities. Tyler’s included the Gates Ruritan Club, Meals on Wheels, Gates County Emergency Ministries, the Gates County Planning Board and disaster-recovery work. His nomination called him a team player and an encourager.

“Sustained service requires more than a willingness to help once,” Saunders said of Byrum. “It requires a commitment to return, season after season and year after year.”

To Savage, he said, “Tonight, the applause is for you.”

John Ward, Class of 1987, played varsity baseball at Gates County and graduated from North Carolina State University. He has made significant contributions to the school’s athletic budget.

As a technical producer in sports television, Ward has won 15 Sports Emmy Awards from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. His work has included NFL coverage, three Super Bowls, 10 World Series, four Stanley Cup Finals and multiple Daytona 500 races.

His nomination emphasized humility, compassion, integrity and generosity as much as his résumé, and described someone admired by friends and coworkers.

“Your accomplishments remind our students that a beginning in Gates County can lead to remarkable opportunities,” Saunders told him.

Saunders asked the crowd to applaud all 12 inductees together and thanked their families, teammates and coaches, along with school leaders, Hall of Fame Committee members, volunteers and community supporters.

“Your stories now become part of what we pass on to the next generation of Red Barons,” he said.

Saunders closed with the school’s familiar line: “Once a Red Baron, always a Red Baron!”