Hall of Fame Induction Recognizes Harrison’s Lifelong Devotion to Soccer
Soccer would have found its way into Wilson, North Carolina, without the assistance of Woody Harrison. He would be the first to tell you that, arguing that the game was already working its way into town before he became heavily involved in the development of its youth and adult programs.
But it would not have been the same without Woody; soccer would not have been as popular or as prominent as it has become over the past six decades and Wilson would not be the destination that it is for young soccer players from across the state.
Who says so? The North Carolina Soccer Hall of Fame, which inducted Harrison into its ranks on January 27 in Greensboro.
“The induction ceremony was very well done,” said Harrison, who serves as counsel emeritus with Narron & Holdford, PA. “And it was exciting to have 14 of my family members there, including all five of my grandchildren. My paralegal of forty years, Martha Walker, and our current real estate paralegal, Beth Smith, escorted me on to the stage and off.”
Smith, he added, is the widow of longtime friend Mike Smith, former Atlantic Christian (now Barton) College soccer coach and another prominent figure in the development of soccer in Wilson.
“They had not told me ahead of time that someone from a news station in Greensboro was going to interview me on stage,” added Harrison, who suffered a stroke five years ago. “I was worried because while it would have been no trouble before my stroke, I was not sure my relearning to talk had progressed enough to allow me to express myself easily yet.
“As it turned out, I did okay, and even had the audience laughing at my answers.”
For Harrison, the induction completes a triple crown of statewide recognition for his contributions to the game. He previously received the Pioneer Award for his promotion and support of youth soccer, and the Mark Crampton Award from the North Carolina Adult Soccer Association. The Crampton Award recognized Harrison for being a co-founder of the North Carolina Soccer League in 1975; for serving as president of the North Carolina Senior Soccer Association from 1984-87; and for serving as an incorporating officer of the North Carolina Amateur Soccer Association in 1985.
“When our NC Soccer Hall of Fame Board considered the induction class for 2024, we were favorably impressed with Woody’s longevity as a player and administrator for the NC Adult Soccer Association,” said Gary Hall, former athletic director and soccer coach at Barton College and a fellow member of the N.C. Soccer Hall of Fame.
Woody Harrison shares Hall of Fame moment with son Reggie Harrison and daughter Elizabeth (Biz) Harrison.
In his nomination, Ed Young of Charlotte borrowed from the manuscript of Harrison’s memoir, in which the author proclaims that “Soccer is Woody Harrison’s World and Life.”
“You can see that soccer has meant a lot to me, playing and coaching, and over twenty years as a referee,” Harrison writes. “It helped me physically to stay in shape and mentally by having a sport I can watch, study and enjoy. For me, it has been a lifetime of soccer.”
Continuing in his nomination, Young references Harrison’s attendance at eight World Cups.
“Talking about spreading the soccer gospel,” Young writes, “Woody not only did this in North Carolina, but worldwide, connecting with citizens far and wide extolling the virtues of NC Soccer, no doubt a boon for NC Soccer: Italy 1990, USA 1994, France 1998, Korea 2002, Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018. After that tournament, he had his third stroke and a lengthy battle back.
“He attributes soccer to saving his life or at least responsible for his recovery from the stroke. ‘Soccer ls Woody Harrison’s World and Life’ story is the essence of a life devoted to our sport. Woody has touched and impacted so many in North Carolina for soccer as well as a worldwide ambassador on behalf of NC Soccer. Along with all his various efforts and accolades outlined, Woody Harrison is the personification of a North Carolina Soccer Hall of Fame candidate and therefore most deserving of the honor.”
“It’s great that they recognize the work that was done for the youth and the adult soccer,” Harrison said. “It just seems like I did that stuff so long ago, that it’s hard to believe I’m getting recognized now.”
Harrison traces his affinity for the game back to the 1950s.
“I first played in the front yard at Woodard School,” Harrison recalled. “There was not much there, really, but Dr. Robson, who came to the tuberculosis sanitorium in Wilson at the time, had four sons. His four sons were all playing soccer in the front yard over there across the street from Woodard School – just this little postage stamp yard. That’s the first time I ever saw what it was.”
Harrison, who was around 10 or 11 years of age at the time, immediately joined in on the fun.
“Of course, I didn’t know what I was doing, but that was the first time I knew what it was.”
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A 1964 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and 1967 graduate of the UNC School of Law, Harrison has fond memories of his playing days in Chapel Hill.
“I played intramurals,” Harrison said. “The college team had an All-America guy who taught all the rest of us and a couple of basketball players how to play. We played all-campus sports along with the fraternities, so it didn’t count for anything. The thing was usually won by the Peacocks; they were graduate students in physical ed. But we finally beat them in 1967 in the finals!”
Harrison completed his active duty in the U.S. Navy in 1972 and continued in the Naval Reserves for a combined commitment of 20 years. But he was back in Wilson for good in the early 1970s when Atlantic Christian College and Greenfield School were getting their programs off the ground and interest in soccer was slowly building.
Harrison jumped right in and supported the local programs and the development of youth soccer in general. But he still wanted to play, so he started a league.
“I ran ads in the paper for anybody who wanted to play, and we would go out there and just pick up teams and play,” Harrison said. “Back then there were not many people in town who had ever played, but Bill Blair (father of NCBA member Beth McKinney of Wilson) had been an All-America at Carolina, and he played a little bit with us.
“But it’s funny, I found out later when Lee (Gliarmis) had the picture of his team on the wall at Dick’s Hot Dog Stand that he had been on the soccer team at Carolina in 1947 or so. He was proud of showing that to me. So, there had been some soccer players from Wilson.”
Woody Harrison aces on-stage interview at induction ceremony.
A few years later, Harrison joined in the formation of the first North Carolina Adult Soccer Association, whose co-founders included Anson Dorrance, future coach of UNC’s 23-time national championship women’s soccer program. They met in Dorrance’s apartment in Chapel Hill.
What was it about the game that intrigued you?
“It didn’t matter what size you were or how athletic you really were, really, you can play,” Harrison said. “Some people had speed and that made a lot of difference, but if you didn’t have speed, you could still play if you knew where to be and what to do.”
And if you had somebody like Woody Harrison helping pave the way, making sure that boys and girls of all ages have the opportunity to enjoy the game as much as he has.
“Our family is honored that Dad has been inducted into the North Carolina Soccer Hall of Fame,” said daughter and fellow attorney Elizabeth (Biz) Harrison of Raleigh. “Soccer has been a big part of our family life from the time Dad began creating and promoting the Wilson Youth Soccer League for my brother and me to participate in as children. His enthusiasm and work to spread the understanding of the game of soccer and access for all ages has touched many.”
Father and daughter share the distinction of both having served as chair of the NCBA Real Property Section, Woody serving in 1984-85 and Biz in 2014-15.
“Dad’s life always has been about service,” she continued. “He has led by example through his activities in the community such as soccer, Boy Scouts, Rotary, Kiwanis, Barton College, the Arts Council, Imagination Station, the Boykin Center, his church, his family, the Navy, his clients and the profession. Throughout my life, whenever I have applied and not been accepted for something or just felt down about myself, my dad would say to go volunteer somewhere: anyone can volunteer.
“He believes in service to others. Dad’s participation with the North Carolina Bar Association and Real Property Section instilled the importance of lawyer service to other lawyers and our profession that I continue to aspire to emulate in my career.”
Goal!
Russell Rawlings is director of external affairs and communications for the North Carolina Bar Association.