Former longtime Dalton High School football coach Bill Chappell died over the weekend, according to the Dalton Catamounts website.
After serving nine years as an assistant coach, Chappell was head coach of the Catamounts from 1964-1996, winning 16 region titles and one state championship (1967). All 33 of his seasons as head coach ended with winning records.
“Coach Chappell was more than a legend on the field; he was a force in our lives and a pillar in our school. For over three decades, he taught our students what it means to strive for greatness, not only in sport but in character,” Dalton High School principal Lee Collins said in a statement. “Coach Chappell’s passion for football was matched only by his dedication to the young men he coached. He believed in them fiercely and stood as an unwavering role model. For many, he was the person who believed in their potential when no one else did, helping them see the importance of hard work, accountability, and determination.”
Chappell in 1995 became the fourth football coach in Georgia history to win 300 games. When Chappell retired the next year, his 317 victories ranked second behind Mary Persons’ Dan Pitts, who was just seven ahead of him at the time.
Bill Mayo, a star lineman on Chappell’s 1978 state runner-up, moved back to Dalton after an All-America career at Tennessee and remained close to Chappell for the rest of his life.
“He’s been retired 30 years, but he was still such a fixture in the community,” Mayo said. “You’d see him at the grocery store or the gym or out and about. He just had such a steady influence over our community for such a long time. It’s a big loss.”
Credit: Dalton Public SChoo
Credit: Dalton Public SChoo
Mayo noted that Chappell started the tradition of Dalton’s players and coaches wearing red blazers at school on Fridays and on road trips to games.
“He was a disciplinarian,” Mayo said. “You could tell by how our teams played and conducted themselves. He was also very kind and cared about all his players. That’s what made him so special.”
Chappell coached 400 football games, and his name is now on the Dalton football stadium.
“We mourn the loss of a true legend, a mentor whose impact reaches far beyond the football field. Coach Bill Chappell was not only the architect of Dalton High School’s athletic success but also a guiding light for generations of young men, showing them discipline, integrity, and strength,” Dalton Public Schools Superintendent Steven Craft said in a statement. “For 33 years, Coach Chappell was more than just a coach. To many, he was a father figure, a counselor, and a steady hand who believed in second chances and guiding players toward a brighter path. He showed what it meant to care deeply about the potential of every player, pushing them to be better athletes, students, and people.”
