FAYETTEVILLE—Pine Forest High School bestowed a great honor on a former coach recently, according to the Fayetteville Observer.

        Long-time women’s basketball coach Tom Jackson was recognized as the Pine Forest gymnasium was named in his honor.

“This is the greatest honor for me because I am a true-blooded Trojan,” Jackson was quoted as saying in the Fayetteville paper. Jackson retired in 2004 as the winningest active girls’ basketball coach in North Carolina with a record of 650-391, starting his career at Pine Forest in 1957. His teams made the state playoffs 30 of his 44 seasons and only eight times did he post a losing record.

Many former players and Pine Forest coaches were among those attending the ceremony.

His teams earned 14 conference titles and was twice Jackson was named the Associated Press state coach of the year. The 78-year-old Jackson says he still misses coaching.