John Worley is retiring after nearly 30 years as an athletic fixture at Hickory High.
Worley and the Hickory Public Schools announced Friday morning he’ll retire effective Feb. 29. He will end a 28-year career that featured coaching girls’ softball, boys’ basketball and football teams at Hickory to 445 victories. He is also HHS’ athletic director.
“Hickory Public Schools has been very good to me,” Worley, 51, said in a press release. “This is not a career change – it’s simply time for me to retire.
“I am young enough to enjoy life and try other things.
“I could possibly continue to work in the coaching field, but any new venture will be fewer hours versus the current 65-plus weekly hours that align with being a head coach.
“I look forward to spending more time with my family.”
Worley is a 1983 graduate of Lenoir-Rhyne University. During his career at Hickory, he has served as drop-out prevention counselor, an athletic trainer, an assistant basketball and football coach and as head coach in softball, boys’ basketball and football during his career.
Worley became the football head coach in 2003, replacing David Elder, and coached the Red Tornadoes for nine seasons.
Last season, Hickory went 8-4-1. That pushed Worley’s career record to 72-36-1 and all nine of his teams reached the state playoffs. He reached 50 wins – early in his fifth season -- quicker than any other head football coach of the last 30 years in the Greater Hickory area.
He replaced Hal Boliek as head boys’ basketball coach in 1994-95 and led Hickory to one of its best modern era stretches.
In nine seasons, Worley’s teams went 191-60 and his 1995-96 and 1996-97 teams won West 3A titles and played for the state 3A championship (both lost).
The Red Tornadoes made three straight Western 3A Regionals after that two-year run and six of Worley’s nine teams won or shared a conference title.
As a softball coach, Worley guided the Red Tornadoes to a 182-78 record, two league titles, and three appearances in the state championship series in Raleigh.
“Coach Worley has given many years of service to Hickory High students and community,” Hickory Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Walter Hart said in the press release. “His record as a winning coach is topped only by the care that he demonstrates for the many students he has worked with through the years.
“I wish him much happiness in his retirement and thank him for the positive impact he has made on the lives of young people.
“He may retire, but he will always be a Red Tornado.”
Worley, a graduate of Hickory who used to work summers at the Hickory Foundation Center as a lifeguard, said he is looking forward to retirement.
“Retiring is a major decision,” he said in the press release. “I wanted to be sure that I was making the right decision – for me – but also for my family.
“(Wife) Jill and I have discussed this decision at great length and prayed. I know I am moving forward while I am young enough to try other ventures in life.”
Hickory will now go back into the market for a head football coach for the fourth time since the late Frank Barger coached his final team in 1984.
Larry Wittenberg, Bob Hanna and David Elder followed Barger as Red Tornadoes head football coaches.
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