NEW LONDON — Following his first season as the North Stanly varsity boys’ basketball head coach, George Walker has been selected to take over duties as the school’s athletic director while retaining his coaching position with the Comets.
“North Stanly High School is pleased to announce that George Walker is North Stanly High School’s athletic director,” the North Stanly Booster Club posted to its social media pages on July 2.
Walker will be assuming the athletic program’s head role that was previously held for two years by Bryan Mills, North Stanly’s current dean of students.
“Mr. Walker has been teaching for 19 years. He brings a wealth of knowledge to NSHS athletics. He has served as head varsity coach for seven years,” the booster club’s announcement continued. “He has been awarded coach of the year three times and had his 100th win this past season. He has previously held the position of athletic director for eight years. Please join us in welcoming Mr. Walker as North Stanly High School’s athletic director.”
Under a prior coaching staff in 2019-20, the Comets boys’ basketball team finished its season with a 14-12 record and fourth-place Yadkin Valley Conference record.
Although the conference was limited to a shortened season a year later, North Stanly’s results improved in Walker’s first campaign as the school’s coach: an 11-3 record, a conference championship, a player of the year award for rising senior Dyson Bell and a YVC Coach of the Year award for Walker.
Before North Stanly, Walker had coaching experience at Mount Pleasant and Concord and was also an athletic director at Concord Middle and Concord. He reached a personal milestone in January when he notched his 100th coaching victory in the Comets’ 67-28 home win over South Davidson.
The upcoming fall semester will mark a season of change for North Stanly’s athletic department — the school will once again play as a member of the 2A region after eight years as a 1A program.
The revised Yadkin Valley Conference will now become a 1A/2A split conference with Albemarle, South Stanly, Union Academy and Gray Stone representing the 1A side, while North Stanly, Mount Pleasant and Jay M. Robinson will represent the 2A side. Last season, Mount Pleasant was a 2A member of the Rocky River Conference and Jay M. Robinson was a 3A member of the South Piedmont Conference.