Coach Gerald Reeves, former Dillon High School teacher and coach, is beginning a new chapter in his life. He and his wife, Jean, have moved to Moore, in Spartanburg County, to be closer to their daughter, Karen Upshur, and her family. Coach Reeves has many fond memories of Dillon High School, Dillon, and Dillon County.
As a student at the University of South Carolina in 1968, Reeves was the only biology education major in his graduating class. Coach Reeves was interviewed by Mr. Mike Lechlop and Dr. H.E. “Hap” Corley, the high school principal and the district superintendent in Dillon. They invited him to visit Dillon for a tour of the town and the high school. After the visit, he signed a contract to teach science and made plans to relocate to Dillon.           
Palmetto Tourist, a boarding house located where Rite-Aid now stands, was Coach Reeves’ first home in Dillon. Ms. Marguerite Sapp, who was the secretary to the superintendent, operated the boarding house. Coach Reeves enjoyed the house; he had a room and a community bath which was enough for him at that time. While living there, he met Helen Culp, the DHS band director, and helped her with the Christmas programs and Band Follies in the spring. Coach Reeves became an honorary member of the Sapp family; he ate most of his meals at the family table at The Lantern, which was run by Jack Sapp.
His teaching career began at the JV Martin High School where he taught biology. Being certified in all sciences, Reeves began to also teach physics about six years into his teaching career. In 1988, he became certified to teach Advanced Placement (AP) Biology after receiving training at Clemson University. Over the years, he has taught AP Biology, Biology I, Biology II, Physics, Physical Science, and Anatomy and Physiology.
During his teaching career, the teachers in the Science Department at Dillon High School worked well together and were a cohesive group. They strived to have the best science department possible.
Reeves not only began his teaching career at DHS, he began his coaching career at the same time. The first two years, he coached B-team football. Coach Paul Chapman became head coach in 1970, and Reeves became an assistant coach on the varsity football team.  His coaching skills were not limited to football. He coached basketball from 1969-1974, and he coached tennis from 1976-1983. Reeves said coaching was really important in his career in Dillon. He coached 14 years under Coach Chapman and from 1992-2014 for Coach Hayes.
Dillon High School and other Pee Dee area high schools were not original members of the SC High School League (SCHSL). Dillon joined the SCHSL in 1968. That same year, Dillon’s basketball team won the first state championship for DHS.
Coach Chapman brought statewide exposure to DHS football according to Reeves. He recalled the first state playoffs for Dillon which was played against Fort Johnson for the Lower State Championship. It was an exciting first time experience. Reeves said Coach Chapman has been recognized by the SC Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame, and the football team always ranked in the state rankings. The DHS teams began to receive coverage in The State newspaper. He remembers thinking, “Wow! Somebody knows about Dillon!” Reeves also mentioned the excitement surrounding Steve Lee being named an All-American in the 1970’s. During the 1970’s, Dillon played in many big playoff games. They always came close but never did win a state championship. The last playoff game Reeves coached for several years was in 1982 against Hartsville. They lost a 14-12 heartbreaker when they missed a field goal. A week later, Hartsville won the state championship.
From 1983-1992, Reeves did not coach football primarily because he was working on his master’s degree which he completed in 1988. He remained active in coaching by returning to varsity tennis in 1984.
Reeves returned to coaching in 1992 when Jackie Hayes asked if he would like to coach football again. Coach Hayes had been a starting quarterback during Reeves’ years with Coach Chapman. Coach Chapman was the quarterback coach, but Reeves recalled working with Hayes on fundamental drills.
Reeves said Coach Hayes, who, like Coach Chapman, has also been recognized by the SC Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame, is a phenomenal person to work for. He said he was a planner, high energy, and knew how to bring the program to a higher level. Reeves said Coach Hayes has a knack for allowing you to do your job. He said then you had ownership of what you did and wanted to do the best at what you did. He said Coach Hayes gets the maximum effort out of people and recognizes talent when he sees it.
Dillon won their first state football championship in 2008 defeating Pageland 7-6 in Clemson. The kicking game help secure the win with an extra point. Reeves recalled the incredible experience of winning that game. The team was playing against a physically bigger and more athletic team, but the DHS team played hard. Players almost needed help getting off the field after it was all over.
Reeves said, though, that he had seen the community work 40 years to win the 2008 championship. He expressed his thanks to the many men and women who worked for the teams in the beginning years, the DHS Booster Club, Dillon’s Recreation Department, others who worked to get done what needed to get done to have a top notch athletic program, and for all of those who did not get to be a part of a state championship. He said there were a lot of people who put in a lot of effort who never got to see Dillon win a championship such as Coaches Willie Fred Daniels, Tom Faulkenberry, and Skip Myers, and so many others – too many to mention. He said there are so many worthy of recognition like those recognized by Coach Hayes at the recent Ring Ceremony for the 2015, Class 2A, Division I, Football State Champions.
Reeves also commended the hardworking student athletes who make up the program and who work year round to be the best they can be. He also commended the coaches stating that Coach Hayes had put together a staff of “football geniuses.”
Reeves said what makes the program good is that they are “all in” from the coaches to the administrators to the players and the community. He spoke of booster club support, volunteers and all of those putting their best effort into what they are doing.
Reeves said he recalled when he was thinking of making a change and interviewed at another high school. He said as he was getting ready for bed, he received a call from Superintendent Ray Rogers who said he did not want to hold him back or keep him from making progress, but they would still like to have him back at the high school. He said that tipped the scales because he took the time to say we appreciate what you do. He decided to stay at the high school. Had he left, he would have missed out on the state championship wins.
Reeves said at the retirement dinner honoring he and fellow retiree, Betty Edwards, they gave him a silver platter and a special gift – a brick from the original building in 1970 with a plaque on it. He said it all ended too soon.
Reeves said Dillon means a lot to him – it gave him a job, he found a wife here, and they had a family. He is excited about the future of Dillon County with the coming of Wyman-Gordon, the expansion of Harbor Freight, and the possibility of an inland port.
Reeves recalled an incident where he ran into Carolyn Johnson who worked for Marguerite Sapp, the woman whose boarding house he stayed in when he first got to Dillon. He said the she told him there no flowers on Marguerite’s grave as if she expected him to do something about it. He went to a local florist and purchased a red, white, and blue flower arrangement because it reminded him of the patriotic tributes the band had done at their spring concerts. He went to Greenlawn Cemetery where she was buried, but he could not find her grave.
Reeves said he walked over every avenue in that cemetery, and it was like he was walking among the people who he had served. He looked at the tombstones – people whose children he had taught, families that he served during his time at the school. He asked if he had done good by these families, had he served them well, did he earn his money, did he fulfill his role. As he got in his car to leave, he was driving out and spotted the marker. He said he did what he intended to do and got more than he intended to get.
Reeves spoke of the people and the wonderful times at First Baptist Church.  At the morning worship on April 24, the congregation sang “Holy Ground”. The lyrics are perfect from his experience.
Coach Chapman and Coach Hayes have been irreplaceably important to his career. And, like all coaches, he could not have been involved to the end without the support of his wife.
Reeves feels he has been one of so many people who wanted to “move the needle” at DHS. He appreciates the encouragement he received throughout his teaching career.
He said, “It’s impossible to compress 47 years of teaching and coaching in a community into the columns of a newspaper while mentioning all of the people and events that have made my life there so rich. I will greatly miss meeting people on the streets and in the shops with their ‘Coach!’ greeting. I hope the Lord has been pleased.”
Reeves said when he took this job in 1968, he had to get a map to find Dillon because he did not know where it was. He says he knows where Dillon is now – in his heart.