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Order of the Palmetto honor is no hurdle for coach Frye
State award awaits to mark his decades of dedication to athletes at all levels
The USC Track and Field Coach Curtis Frye.
Tim Dominick/tdominick@thestate.com
CommentsIn the course of 30 years, Curtis Frye has climbed from high school track coach to collegiate assistant to South Carolina head coach to a spot on the U.S. Olympic coaching staff at the 2004 Summer Games.
But the 57-year-old Frye has settled into a new phase in recent years.
“He’s granddaddy Curtis now,” Gamecocks throws coach Mike Sergent said recently.
Frye’s four young granddaughters will be in attendance Saturday when “Papa” Frye receives The Order of the Palmetto during a ceremony at the Zone at Williams-Brice Stadium.
The award, presented by the governor and considered the state’s highest civilian honor, will have a special place in Frye’s office, nearly every inch of which is covered with plaques, trophies and framed photos, including several of his granddaughters.
“That’s my gang,” Frye said. “Can’t do without ’em.”
A three-time national coach of the year, Frye last year received the Order of Ikkos Medallion, presented by the U.S. Olympic Committee to a coach of an Olympic or Paralympic medalist. Frye was honored for his work with Jerome Singleton Jr., who won silver in the 100-meter dash at the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing.
In 2002, Frye received a key to the city after leading his women’s squad to a national championship, which remains the only NCAA team title in school history.
Frye said The Order of the Palmetto ranks at or near the top of his list of achievements.
“You always want to be in Hall of Fames. That’s as high as you can go,” he said. “But when public citizens and others notice you’re doing things in your community ... that fits higher than athletics. It fits humanity. That’s the impact we all live for.”
Sen. John Scott (D-Richland), who is a deacon with Frye at New Ebenezer Baptist Church, nominated Frye for The Order of the Palmetto. He noted Frye’s Ikkos Medallion along with his involvement with the U.S. Olympic team and presence on the national track scene.
“This was just a tremendous, outstanding year for coach Frye,” Scott said.
Frye joins a short list of coaches who have received the honor, including Frank McGuire, Lou Holtz, Danny Ford, John Kresse and John McKissick.
“Coach Frye has obviously coached hundreds of champion athletes, but he’s more importantly served as a mentor and role model for them and many others,” said Joel Sawyer, spokesman for Gov. Mark Sanford.
USC assistant head coach Dee Quarles, who has worked for Frye for 12 of his 13 seasons in Columbia, said Frye has high expectations for his athletes. After Quarles was hired, Frye told her he wanted every team member to have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
And though the Gamecocks have not reached that goal, Quarles said the men’s and women’s teams posted GPAs of 3.2 or better this past year.
“I think the thing that bothers him most is when young people are not getting the big picture to life,” Quarles said.
Reach Person at (803) 771-8496.
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