ATHLETICS REPORT: GUILFORD'S "CRADLE OF COACHES"

Guilford College has consistently set up its students for success after graduation. Over the years, several Guilford student athletes have enjoyed coaching careers at various levels from youth sports to high school and all the way to the pros. Two success stories from the “Cradle of Coaches” include women’s basketball standout Ann Ferguson ’10 and football player John Lilly ’90. Both used their time at Guilford and the connections they made as springboards into the world of coaching. Ann and John fondly remember their Guilford days and spoke about memories, how they got started in coaching and the role of philanthropy in their time as student-athletes and coaches.

Ann Ferguson '10

Ann Ferguson ’10

Ann was a four-year starter for the Quakers’ basketball team and was chosen for the 2010 Women's Basketball Coaches' Association's "So You Want To Be A Coach" Program. After Guilford, she went on to coach basketball at NCAA Division II-member University of Arkansas Fort Smith (UAFS) and several Arkansas high schools before returning to North Carolina in 2018 as Girls’ Basketball Coach at Thomasville High School. Since then, Ann has been named Conference Coach of the Year twice and selected as an Assistant Coach for the 2020 McDonald’s All American Game.

Who were some of the Guilford people who inspired you the most?

I was, and still am, really close with my teammates. I talk to Joclyn Terry ’10, Alexa Williams ’10 and Jasmine Wood ’10 multiple times a week. Tracey Croner ’09 surprised me last year at a Thomasville game, where she showed me support as I was getting started coaching in North Carolina. Other teammates helped me when I reached out to them about moving back. At Guilford, it was encouraging to be surrounded by people who also wanted to be great. Our love for each other as teammates was my biggest encouragement because we knew we would always be there for each other.

Who were some of your coaching mentors?

My high school coach, Fred Sauro, who was selected to be the Head Coach of the 2020 McDonald’s All American East Team, has been a huge mentor to me. He has an incredible basketball mind and has always been there with advice or knowledge whenever I need it. My elementary and junior high coach, Ed Davis, was the first person who gave me the chance to coach alongside him. I’ve adopted a lot of how Coach Sauro and Coach Davis did things because not only have they had a lot of success, but they’ve also changed a lot of lives in a positive manner. Coach Flamini at Guilford was instrumental in me getting started in the profession, and has been there for me ever since. She’s helped me out a lot with not just Xs and Os, but also the bigger ideas of the game. Last but not least, Louis Whorton, who has since retired from UAFS, was just incredible with how he managed his teams and the success he had. He’s responsible for a lot of the ways that I coach my teams now, and is always there when I need anything.

How has philanthropy impacted your experience?

Part of the reason I was able to go to Guilford was due to people who donated to its scholarship funds, and I’ve been fortunate as a Coach to have some very generous givers associated with my programs. This assistance allows me to connect with players. Eating a meal together or celebrating them...those are the times when players can see that it’s bigger than basketball.

John Lilly '90

John Lilly ’90

John Lilly ’90 played quarterback, wide receiver and special teams for the Quakers’ football team. After graduation, he worked coaching positions at the high school, college and professional levels for nearly three decades. His stops included Northwest Guilford High School, Florida State University, the University of Georgia, the Los Angeles Rams, the University of Tennessee and the Cleveland Browns. In February 2020, he was named the Tight Ends Coach at the University of North Carolina (UNC).

What inspired your return to college and the North Carolina job?

The game of football has been so good to me in too many ways to explain and I love coaching it. Some of my most special memories stem from meeting a young man and his family when he is a high school student-athlete, watching him grow through college as a person and player, and eventually see him launch his own professional career, whether as an athlete or in some other area. Being able to be a part of that journey for a young man is probably the most rewarding part of what we are blessed to be able to do as coaches. UNC is a top-tier educational institution that I’ve always had a ton of respect and admiration for. In this profession you are always eager to be in situations where you can work with and for good people. I felt certain my family would enjoy the area and state as a whole.

What do you recall of your time at Guilford?

I have great memories of my time at Guilford and thanks to the Internet and social media, I always keep up with the accomplishments of the sports teams. I was blessed to play for Coach Charles Forbes, and though we had some good memorable wins, I probably remember more about practices and the camaraderie with my teammates. I found Guilford’s professors to be outstanding and genuinely concerned and helpful regarding the learning and growth of their students. As a History major, two of the professors I remember fondly are Adrienne Israel and Alexander Stoesen.

How has philanthropy impacted your experience?

This type of generosity keeps all of the departments operating at their highest level, which in turn provides every student and athlete with the requisite tools to be as successful as possible in their chosen field of study and activities at every college and university.