Varina Loses Legend

[CRF4Dan]

If you ever have been to a Varina game then you saw Coach Woody walking the field. He was a staple of Varina as long as I've been going to games and well before I was a student there in the early 90's. His roots run deep at Varina and today the Varina community lost him. Keep his family and Blue Devil Nation in your thoughts and prayers.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

I send my prayers to his family, and family of friends. There is no telling how many positive impacts he had on young people.
Danny, I’m sure his loss is especially sad for you. You just lost a tangible part of your past, and we all know that leaves a void.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

He looks every bit the tough old Marine he was in that picture above.

 

[CRF4Dan]

He looks every bit the tough old Marine he was in that picture above.

It turned out to be a rough weekend all the way around for the Varina football community. One of the biggest Blue Devil fans I've come across passed away this weekend as well.

 

[CRF4Dan]

I send my prayers to his family, and family of friends. There is no telling how many positive impacts he had on young people.
Danny, I’m sure his loss is especially sad for you. You just lost a tangible part of your past, and we all know that leaves a void.

I wasn't fortunate enough to get to know him the way so many others but he was certainly loved among those in those who did by the outpouring over the weekend.

 

[GoBlue2109]

Coach Woody meant everything to us at Varina. In the early 2000's the scout team was named the "Woody Raiders" and it meant it a lot to have those guys take pride in their role on the team.

 

[ArcticBuc]

He was my college level biology teacher at Varina...he was a character.

I literally shattered my right ankle in a pick up basketball game in the little gym (waiting for baseball practice in Spring of 75)...I snapped my fibula, shattered my ankle where it was at an angle it didn't need to be in.

Coach Woody was just finishing his run around the track, he still had the tire around his waist that he ran with.

He walks in and tells me to shake it off...just walk it off. The school nurse comes in and runs him off. She calls the ambulance and off to Henrico Doctors Hospital I go.

Back then there was no such thing as outpatient surgery per se. I had to have my whole right leg rebuilt from 3" below the right knee all the way to my ankle. I was in the hospital for 3 day and my whole last semester of my Jr. and about ½ my first semester of my senior year were FUBARed.

I remember Coach Woody ribbing me that I should have just got up and walked it off. I didn't get to play football my senior year but I was at every game. I was able to play baseball.