Longtime coach, teacher, athletic director, and administrator Jack Groce passes

Jack Groce, known more commonly as “Coach Groce”, passed away over the weekend, according to the Watauga High School Booster Club.

Coach Groce was a longtime coach, teacher, athletic director, and administrator at Appalachian High School and Watauga High School. A beloved member of the WHS family and High Country community, his many contributions & roles are included below courtesy of the 2020 WHS Hall Of Fame bulletin.

Some of his accolades include:

● Graduate of Wilkesboro High School

● Attended Appalachian State University to play Football

● Named one of “100 Administrators to Remember” by the NCHSAA

● Head Football Coach at Appalachian High from 1955-65

● Running Backs Coach at Appalachian State from 1966-71

● Head Football Coach at Watauga High School from 1972-76

● Served as a golf and baseball coach periodically at Appalachian High and Watauga High

● The 1962 Appalachian High Blue Devils finished the season 11-0 record and the 2-A state Region 3

championship with a 39-7 win over Murphy

● Appalachian High School teams won back-to-back state 2-A Region championships in 1961-62

● The 1962 team went undefeated

● Inducted into the North Carolina Athletic Director’s Association Hall of Fame in 1996

● Inducted into the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2001

● Never experienced a losing season during 20-year career as a head football coach at Appalachian High (1955-65) and Watauga High (1972-76)

● Overall Career Record as Head Football Coach 134-22-4

● Served as athletic director and assistant principal at WHS from 1977-1990

● Watauga County athletic director (1991 -1992)

● Former president of the North Carolina Athletic Directors Association

● Served a four-year term on the NCHSAA Board of Directors

● Watauga Stadium was named Jack Groce Stadium in 1998

● Charter Member of the Appalachian State Hall of Fame Inducted in 1975

WHS ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME 2020 INDUCTEE