‘State Champion’ has a ring to it for South Pointe football

While his family celebrated Christmas, South Pointe football coach Strait Herron spent much of his holiday break posted up on the couch peering at his laptop and a phone book.

He was researching Rock Hill businesses and typing them notes in search of donations to help with the cost of the Stallions’ football state championship rings. Herron made a promise to his team that if they won the state title – they did in December, beating Hartsville 21-7 in Columbia – that every player would get a championship ring at no charge.

“I kind of put that burden on myself,” he said. “That’s part of it; if you give them something to shoot for and they make it, you’ve got to go out there and provide.”

Flash forward to Wednesday before South Pointe’s ring presentation ceremony in the school’s auditorium, and Herron was in his office, where he has been most of the last two months, seated in front of the laptop. He was surrounded by silent auction items which will be sold off during the Friday Nite Stampede Auction, which benefits the football program. A visitor could barely get through the clutter of signed footballs and other various items that turned a usually spacious room into a swag hovel.

Even with the non-stop hustle since December, Herron is about $7,000 short of the total needed for the rings as of Wednesday. He bought 110 rings at about $300 a piece from Jostens, the company that hawks rings, yearbooks, anything with sentimental value connected to high school.

Donations from several local businesses have purchased some rings, and a fish fry raised enough money to buy two more; the school’s athletic booster club also made a sizable donation. Jostens works with athletic departments and isn’t likely to repossess any rings. But Herron wants to get the matter settled as soon as possible.

“We’re not gonna not try and win it because we have problems; we’re gonna figure out a way to get it done,” he said with a laugh.

Rock Hill wrestling coach Cain Beard said he bought about 50 rings for the Bearcats’ recent state title victory and that they were about $160 per piece. Northwestern coach Kyle Richardson said his school purchased between 150 and 175 when the Trojans won the 2013 4A Division II football state title, a number that includes players, coaches and support staff. He wasn’t sure how much they cost; he did know that all the money was accounted for by the time the rings were purchased and that he didn’t have to worry about finances after the rings were doled out.

South Pointe doesn’t have that luxury in part because of the school’s novelty.

“We don’t have the large alumni base,” said South Pointe principal Dr. Al Leonard. “So a lot of people don’t realize what goes on behind the scenes. Strait’s been working really hard on the fundraising part of it and also we have an outstanding athletic booster club. Really, a lot of people have supported our program, and every little bit helps.”

Why not forget the rings and let a team trophy suffice?

“That’s their trophy, and it’s the best kind of trophy to get because it’s not something that’s going to be put on a shelf, and put in a box, and eventually thrown in an attic,” said Herron. “You’re gonna have that ring and even if you don’t wear it, you’re gonna fumble through a drawer or a desk or something and it’s gonna remind you.”

One by one, the players crossed the stage in the school’s auditorium Wednesday night and received hugs from coaches and a little black box. Some opened the box when they got to the far side of the stage. Eyes widened. Hands covered mouths. All the latest slang was used to describe the rings, which are charcoal or gunmetal-colored, what Jostens calls “shadowcast.” And of course, phones were whipped out of pockets and pictures taken. Sixty new hand models had been spawned.

“That ring is just an important symbol of all the work that they did,” Herron said. “And when they get older, it will give you those memories too.”

Afterward, junior Zaylin Burris beamed when asked what went through his mind when he popped open his little black box.

“I was just happy I finally got my ring,” he said. “All that work we did paid off.”

Those reactions make Herron’s hustling, selling, scurrying, pleading and sweating worthwhile. Of course, he isn’t finished with any of that yet.

“I can’t wait ’til Friday’s over and the auction is over so I can get back to coaching kids and being around kids,” said Herron.

This story was originally published March 11, 2015 at 10:08 PM with the headline "‘State Champion’ has a ring to it for South Pointe football."