CHAPEL HILL-Visitors to the North Carolina High School Athletic
Association's Simon F. Terrell Building may be surprised that it currently
may look a little less like an office and more like a sports museum.

It is the result of months of work to build a collection of memorabilia,
photos and other items recognizing outstanding athletes who participated in
North Carolina high school athletics and went on to excellent careers in the
collegiate or professional ranks.

Charlie Adams, executive director of the NCHSAA, says that "North
Carolina has a wonderful athletic tradition and we thought it would be a
great thing to highlight at the state association building. So many great
athletes, coaches, administrators, game officials and media persons have
been involved in the NCHSAA program over the years, and this is just a small
way to preserve some of that heritage."

The Association contacted as many professional athletes from the state
as it could, along with colleges and universities and a vast number of the
state's top high school coaches in a wide variety of sports. "The response
was overwhelming," said Adams. "We just didn't dream that this many people
would want to be a part of the display and provide these items for us."

The walls of the NCHSAA offices are filled with pictures, many signed,
of literally hundreds of great athletes who got their start at a North
Carolina high school. Top high school coaches, game officials, media
representatives and even prominent government officials who played prep
sports are also featured.

In addition, there are some fascinating pieces of equipment and
memorabilia on display. Visitors can see signed jerseys from James Worthy
(Gastonia Ashbrook), Antawn Jamison (Charlotte Providence), and David
Thompson (Crest). There is a Michael Jordan (Wilmington Laney) Chicago
Bulls game uniform, and signed shoes from Buck Williams (Rocky Mount) and
Jerry Stackhouse (Kinston).

Football fans will note signed helmets from former National Football
League MVP Roman Gabriel (New Hanover), Charlie "Choo-Choo" Justice
(Asheville Lee Edwards), and Torry Holt of the St. Louis Rams (Eastern
Guilford), among others.

The basketball from the 1927 state championship game is on display, a
game won by Wilmington over Winston-Salem by the unlikely score of 21-7. The
last leather football helmet worn in a state championship football game (in
the 1960's) may also be viewed.

Jerseys from many of the Association's male and female Athletes of the
Year, including former University of Connecticut women's basketball star
Shea Ralph (Fayetteville Terry Sanford), the Philadelphia Eagles' Na Brown
(Reidsville), and Julius Peppers of UNC (Southern Nash), are also on
display.

The main conference room in the building features photos of many of the
top high school coaches through the years in a variety of sports. The
building also contains sections for the North Carolina High School Athletic
Association Hall of Fame as well as the Hall for the North Carolina Athletic
Directors Association.

"We have been very pleased with the response to our display and are
always glad for people to drop in and look around," said Adams. "Any fan of
high school sports in North Carolina should enjoy seeing many of these
pictures and items."

The NCHSAA offices are generally open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5
p.m.