"Falcons are 50" Golf Tournament & Alumni Day

O’Neal’s Falcons are 50 Commemorative Golf Tournament and Alumni Day was held on April 9th. The golf tournament saw current students, parents, friends and nearly 20 alumni compete at the newly renovated Southern Pines Golf Club. Many more alumni joined the golfers at the Alumni Day Dinner.

To learn about future alumni events, contact Director of Alumni Relations

Alumni@ONealSchool.org

Starting with Volleyball, Basketball and Soccer

In1971 The O’Neal School was founded. In 1972 O’Neal Athletics was born. This year we celebrate 50 years of athletics at O’Neal beginning with volleyball, basketball and soccer.

Volleyball

Without an indoor facility until the winter of 1974, volleyball games and practices at O’Neal were held on the outside court. Mary Ann Hall (Halstead) was the coach. Originally, she was an English teacher asked to help with physical education. She taught the fundamentals and the team played large schools with established sports programs, such as Charlotte Country Day. It was a humble beginning for volleyball on their outdoor court. In 1973, volleyball’s second year, the School had JV and varsity teams.

“When I think of O’Neal volleyball, I think of Coach Cindy Strickland,” says Roberta. “As my PE teacher starting in kindergarten, she had us working on volleyball passes and serves long before we could play middle school volleyball. Coach Strickland loved the game of volleyball and she helped instill a love of the game in me. There were lots of wins under Coach Strickland, but what I remember the most is loving the experience so much that I didn’t want to stop playing volleyball.”

The 90s were the glory years for O'Neal Varsity Volleyball -tallying seven state championships!

Sisters Ginny Quis Wellford ’96 and Roberta Quis Fox ‘99 both played volleyball for Davidson College. At Davidson, Ginny holds the record (1996-1999) for Career Assists at 2608. Roberta holds the record (1999-2002) for Career Kills at 1233, Career Attack Percentage at .308, and Career Blocks at 431.

Basketball

O’Neal cannot claim a state championship for basketball, but its significance is its beginning at O’Neal, and its role in the lives of so many students and the essence of community that it provides.

O’Neal’s first headmaster Bob Haarlow played basketball at Princeton University alongside the likes of Bill Bradley who went on to play for the Knicks. It was only natural that Mr. Haarlow be the boys basketball coach. Teacher and counselor Beth Whitman coached the girls.

Lately, the girls varsity basketball team has made its mark at O’Neal and around the state. With the coaching expertise of Lulu Brase, the Lady Falcons have recently celebrated their fifth consecutive conference season and tournament championship and have competed in three state championship games. Last year, Coach Brase earned her 100th game win at O’Neal.

In recent years, O'Neal has seen its graduates join collegiate women's basketball programs.

Soccer

Soccer began at O’Neal as a spring sport, starting in the School’s 1972-73 academic year. Though primarily fielded by boys, girls were also eligible to tryout for the one soccer team the School claimed. In 1994 a girls team was formed. The 2006 girls soccer team won the state championship under the coaching of Kyle Kegl, who has returned to O'Neal as member of the coaching staff as well as an assistant teacher in kindergarten. It is the only soccer state championship the School has earned. Team member Kelsey Hukee, who went on to play soccer at Meredith College reflects, “Soccer or ‘football’ has always been a way for me to be a part of a bigger community. When I reflect on the O’Neal Girls Varsity Soccer Team, I think of just that, a community. We were friends first and teammates second. We all played together to have fun on and off the field, which to me is really what the game is about. I feel honored and very grateful for the warm memories of van rides to away games, pregame chants, and the joy of winning States in 2006.”

The boys had consecutive conference championships in the 90's, making it to the state champoinship game for the first time in 1993. This past fall, the boys team was undefeated allowing only a single goal in season play, winning the conference championship.

With nine Wachovia/Wells Fargo Cups under its belt, most recently 2020 & 2021, superior coaching and a top notch sports performance program, O'Neal's athletics program continues to be a shining star for the O'Neal community.