Robbinsville wrestling pays tribute to founder
Robbinsville – Without George Oliver, who knows where the Robbinsville High School wrestling program would be today?
Oliver – who, along with Gary Steppe, instituted the now-powerhouse Black Knights grappling team 45 years ago – passed away Aug. 5 at age 68.
“Truthfully, I am proud to call George Oliver my friend,” said Todd Odom, a former Black Knight wrestler who is head coach of the varsity program today. “He has shown me what dedication and passion toward a program should be, and has also been the shining example of toughness.
“He is the guy that laid the foundation for Robbinsville wrestling, and also the one that wouldn’t let it die. He is what we try to teach our kids to be, and to that I will be forever grateful.”
Humble beginnings
Born in Virginia, Oliver and his family eventually moved across state lines to Maryland during his youth. It was there that Oliver first stepped on the wrestling mat at the young age of 12.
Working his way through the ranks, Oliver was a two-time state finalist, eventually capturing the top prize in the 132-pound weight class during his senior year at Wicomico High School in Salisbury, Md. However, rather than pursue the sport at the collegiate level, Oliver would enlist in the U.S. Army. While on leave, one of his military pals convinced Oliver to visit Robbinsville.
It was in Graham County where he met his wife, Margaret Hooper, who he married in 1973. The union led to the addition of Ryan, Tara and Michael to the local population.
From the ground up
Through a chance meeting with an equipment salesman during the summer of 1975, Gary Steppe was able to acquire Robbinsville High’s first wrestling mat.
Steppe, a member of Bob Colvin’s coaching staff for the Black Knights’ football program, convinced Colvin that linemen with quick feet could make Robbinsville even more fearsome on the gridiron. The path to reaching the goal was a wrestling program.
Colvin acquiesced to the request, but only if Steppe would be the head coach. However, Steppe knew the program would need plenty of expertise to drive it.
Up to that point, Oliver had been pushing for the N.C. High School Athletics Association to let Robbinsville institute a wrestling team, but the association balked at the idea, as Oliver was a non-school employee. Steppe called on Oliver – who had once offered to help, should a program ever be founded in Graham County – and in fall 1975, the Black Knights dressed their first wrestling team.
The first Robbinsville wrestler to compete was 103-pound Jerry Crisp, who Oliver touted as “tough.” Last month, Crisp was sworn in as Graham County sheriff.
In good hands
Over the next 45 years, Oliver dedicated much of his life to Robbinsville wrestling. But the team always had a theme of “family,” as Oliver’s three kids were heavily involved in wrestling.
Ryan and Michael would both suit up as Black Knights, while Tara was a scorekeeper/team manager for many years.
He would often point out, “All of my kids took their first steps on a wrestling mat.”
The program was taken over by David Haney in 1978, but Oliver was more than willing to work behind the scenes, helping build Robbinsville wrestling into the dynasty it is today.
Fond memories
Though Oliver fought various health ailments in the last few years of his life, the dedication he had to Robbinsville wrestling made a positive impact on so many Graham County residents.
Within a day of his passing, past and present grapplers flooded the program’s Facebook page, speaking on what Oliver meant to them.
“Wrestling at Robbinsville gave me the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than myself,” head Robbinsville Middle School wrestling coach Wren Millsaps wrote. “I was never a world-beater, but George believed in me. Now I get to be a part of something great. I have been able to surround myself with a close group of brothers through Robbinsville wrestling.”
“The sport of wrestling put men in my life like Papa George, who I looked to as a father and they took me in as a son of their own,” Chase Patterson wrote. “If it wasn’t for ‘The ‘Ville’ and the men that start(ed) the program way back when, I would of traveled a very dark road that led to some bad places. I owe my life to ‘The Ville.’”
“George didn’t start a sport or program at Robbinsville; he helped build a family,” Nick Eller wrote. “George wasn’t just a coach; he was a mentor, a father figure, a grandfather figure and, sometimes, the crazy uncle.
“I’ve celebrated wins with him, cried on his shoulder after losses and laughed with him on long bus rides.”
“I’ve cried, I’ve laughed, but most of all I am so thankful that Uncle George came to know his Lord and Savior,” team photographer Jenny Millsaps wrote. “No match, no win, no tournament win comes close to the win that came for Uncle George last night.
“George brought wrestling to RHS, wrestling will continue and Uncle George will always be in our hearts.”
Special thanks to head Robbinsville wrestling coach Todd Odom for contributing to this feature.