Eric Westmoreland, a former linebacker with the Cleveland Browns and the University of Tennessee Vols, has joined Baylor School's football coaching staff.
In addition to assisting with coaching, Westmoreland will reside on campus and work in Baylor's residential life program as a dorm parent.
The once local athlete from Marion County High School in Jasper, Tenn., says he is returning to East Tennessee to work with youth at the high school level because he is interested in providing the leadership that he had as a young person.
"I want to give kids the same
opportunity that I had when I was growing up – to be a mentor to get what they want in life," said Westmoreland. "I’ve been interested in Baylor because it’s a high profile school with a lot of notoriety throughout the state. Their football program has been highly recommended by a lot ofpeople," said Westmoreland.
Westmoreland enjoyed a stellar high school career in Marion County from
1992-95, and went on to sign for the Vols, playing for the 1998 National
Championship team. He was drafted by Jacksonville in 2001, and then
signed with the Cleveland Browns in 2004. He left the NFL in 2005, and
most recently has been involved in assisting with UT football camps and
coaching, as well as working as a professional fitness instructor.
"I am extremely excited about Eric coming and being a part of our staff
here at Baylor. Eric brings a wealth of knowledge and an enthusiasm that
will have an immediate positive impact on our team," said Baylor's head football coach Philip Massey.
CURRY HIRED: Baylor School has hired Bill Curry as Executive Director of Leadership Baylor to oversee the school’s leadership initiative.
Baylor Headmaster Dr. Bill Stacy said Curry will be responsible for the
curricular development and an ongoing assessment of the school’s
leadership program. His duties will include creating a leadership
speakers’ series, serving as chair of the Leadership Baylor advisory
committee, and developing leadership mentoring opportunities for faculty,
coaches, staff, and students. He will also create a “Leadership
Colloquium” for business and professionals in the Chattanooga area, and will be conducting leadership seminars throughout the year.
The Leadership Baylor program was launched last fall to give students the opportunity to explore various leadership styles, and examine the
importance of character and competence in leadership. Students attend leadership classes throughout the year in grades 9-12. The initiative was launched in cooperation with Dr. David Abshire’s groundbreaking work on
character-based leadership.
Dr. Abshire, a Chattanooga native and Baylor alumnus, serves as President and Chief Executive Officer for the Center for the Study of the Presidency (CSP) and has established a national consortium in partnership with Baylor and the Institute for Honor at Washington and Lee University. According to officials with CSP, the goals of the consortium are to integrate the learning of leadership and ethics in high schools, universities, graduate schools, and military and civilian
leadership programs.
"Leadership has always been a cornerstone at Baylor, and for the past year-and-a-half, we’ve been seeking ways to enhance a student’s
preparation for leadership in a structured curriculum. Baylor faculty and students have observed disheartening stories of leadership crumbling in business, religion, government, education, sports, charities, and other enterprises in American society,” said Baylor Headmaster Dr. Bill Stacy.
“It is our goal to identify for students those processes, characteristics, and attributes of leadership, especially present in case studies, that can prepare them for the leadership that will be ultimately asked of them,”
said Stacy. “Bill Curry is the right man to step up our efforts and focus
our work. He has over the past decade been teaching leadership skills and insights to business, education, sports, and civic groups. We look forward to his energy and focus as a means to assist us with our
Leadership Baylor program."
Curry said he has “been smitten” with the study of leadership since he was
a young child. “I was one of those hyper-aggressive boys who had too much
energy and my teachers had to find ways to keep me occupied,” said Curry.
He recalled one teacher in particular who propped him in a corner next to
a shelf loaded with biographies of U.S. historical figures and he
proceeded to soak up the stories of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson,
Lou Gehrig and many others. “I was absorbed with study of leadership, and
I decided I wanted to find out what made these people tick. How could
Helen Keller do what she did? What could I do to be an effective leader
myself? Leadership has been a passion almost as long as I can remember,” said Curry.
As for Baylor, Curry said he was impressed with the mix of faculty and
others who spearheaded the school’s leadership program. “They have a
great start on a leadership program that I’m not sure exists anywhere
else. If it does, I’m not aware of it. To be invited to become a part of
that program is one of the highest compliments I receive, because they are really serious about leadership. That’s the reason this move makes sense for me at this time,” said Curry, adding that he’s always had a love for Chattanooga and a fondness of Baylor. “My father was the boxing and weightlifting coach for Georgia Military Academy (now Woodward Academy) and Baylor was one of G.M.A.’s biggest rivals. As a little kid I have a memory of being on the Baylor campus for the competition.”
He has also drawn upon his professional experiences as an athlete and sports commentator for lessons in leadership. Curry joined ESPN in 1997 as a college football game analyst, and has been well-received by fans and media alike. In addition, he has been a popular national presenter and keynote motivational speaker, recently making appearances for the Boy
Scouts of America, Central Oklahoma University’s leadership course, a
Coca-Cola management seminar, and the Pennsylvania State University
Directors of Athletics Convention. He is also the author of numerous
publications on leadership.
Curry stated that while the Baylor position will occupy a majority of his
time, he will remain under a modified contract with ESPN. “I will have
fewer appearances so that I can devote more time to the Baylor program,” said Curry.
Prior to ESPN, Curry spent 17 years (1980-96) as a head coach in the
college ranks, including positions at Georgia Tech (1980-86), Alabama
(1987-89) and Kentucky (1990-96). In 1989, Curry led Alabama to the SEC
title. He also was the recipient of numerous honors, including ACC Coach
of the Year (1985), SEC Coach of the Year (1987 and 1989), and the Bobby
Dodd National Coach of the Year (1989). Prior to his first head coaching assignment, Curry spent three seasons in the NFL (1977-79) as an assistant coach to Bart Starr and the Green Bay Packers.
Curry played pro football from 1965 to 1974 with the Green Bay Packers,
under the legendary Vince Lombardi; and also played for the Baltimore
Colts, Houston Oilers, and Los Angeles Rams. He was an All-Pro center with the Colts in 1971 and 1972.
A 1965 Georgia Tech graduate with a degree in industrial management, Curry
also starred for the Yellow Jackets football squad from 1963-64. He has
an additional year of study with the Candler School of Theology at Emory
University.
Curry and his wife, Dr. Carolyn Curry, have two grown children, Bill Jr. and Kristin. Although he will spend a good deal of time in Chattanooga, Curry said their mountain retreat near Murphy, N.C. will be their primary residence.
(E-mail Stan Crawley @wscrawley@earthlink.net)