Courtesy of Newberry College Athletics
NEWBERRY — Newberry College graduate and member of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Jerome Singleton has served as the Executive Director and then Commissioner of the South Carolina High School League since 2005.
From 2014-2018 Dr. Singleton served on the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Board of Directors.
Dr. Singleton is the most senior Commissioner/Executive Director in the NFHS.
He became the first African American Commissioner to serve as President of the NFHS Board of Directors, serving a one-year stint from July 2017 – June 2018.
Before becoming the chief executive for the organization, Singleton served as the SCHSL associate commissioner for 10 years and one year as assistant commissioner.
Prior to joining the SCHSL, Singleton was an assistant principal at Dutch Fork High School; an assistant athletic director, teacher and coach at Burke High School; an assistant principal at Northside Junior High School; a teacher and coach at Greenwood High School; and a coordinator at Brewer Intermediate School.
Dr. Singleton was a three-year letter winner for Coach Reed Charpia, playing running back and on special teams for the 1978, 1979 and 1980 football teams.
This story is Dr. Singleton’s narrative of his journey to Newberry College and how that experience impacted his long and distinguished career.
My journey to Newberry College actually started with a question.
I was a high school senior in rural Charleston County and had my eyes set on bigger cities and larger schools to continue my education.
But a friend of mine and Newberry College alumnus, Coach Roger Hazel, asked me if I’d ever considered attending Newberry College.
My response was, “Where is Newberry College?”
That began my college search and eventual commitment to Newberry College.
After visiting the beautiful campus and meeting the faculty, staff, and coaches, it was a no-brainer.
Leaving home for the first time is never easy, but the atmosphere at Newberry College and the people there made it a smooth transition.
I had a phenomenal student-athlete experience and left Newberry College not only with a degree but with friendships and relationships that I continue to this day.
I’ve been fortunate to have a successful career as an educator, coach, and now the Executive Director of the South Carolina High School League, and I owe much of that to my experiences at Newberry College.
And to think, it all started with a simple question from a friend.
Culture shock
Coming from a small town that was 95 to 98 percent black, I experienced culture shock at Newberry College, which was mostly white at the time.
Needless to say, as a young teenager, leaving home for the first time, it was overwhelming.
However, each year, the campus became more and more diverse.
Today, I look back and appreciate the diverse culture that I was introduced to over the years at Newberry College.
And that was just the beginning of a life-changing experience.
As they say, a person is a product of their environment.
While I came from a very nurturing community in the small town of Hollywood, South Carolina, I was not exposed to all of the things that life has to offer.
What I am most appreciative of from those in my small-town community is that they never suppressed my dreams and goals by telling me that I couldn’t do something.
Coming to Newberry College introduced me to so many things that played a significant role in helping me become the person I am today.
The people, experiences, and opportunities that presented themselves and were made available to me were life-changing.
I am forever grateful for the experiences that I gained at Newberry College during my impressionable years as a young adult.
Chasing dreams
After college, I started working in education as a teacher and coach.
Many of my teammates also went into teaching and coaching, so the connection was obvious.
Most of my career kept me in their path because of our work.
We would coach against each other and with each other.
We would also see each other at coaches’ conferences or clinics.
As a student-athlete, the lessons I learned that positively impacted my professional career are many.
In every phase of my professional career, my success has been directly related to my ability to engage in and foster teamwork.
Discipline has been the cornerstone of my decision-making.
You must be obedient to your carefully thought-out convictions.
Right is right, even if it’s not popular.
I also try to be consistent in all my work.
While I may not always win a gold medal, I can always give a gold medal effort.
I started thinking about what was next for me as I was completing my college years, and I originally looked at a career in textiles because that seemed to be the most lucrative.
Unfortunately (or fortunately), most of my coursework was in education, and very few were in business administration, so I got a job in the school system (Greenwood High School) teaching physical education and coaching football, basketball, and track as an assistant.
After experiencing working with the coaches there, I was bit by the coaching bug.
I am greatly indebted to them for their patience and nurturing of me.
Still, I was always looking for a new challenge.
Love of the game
As a teacher and coach, I loved my job.
Early in my career, I learned that if you take graduate courses, the school system would give pay increases.
I made a conscious decision to direct my grad courses toward a degree.
While teaching and coaching, I was able to complete my courses and earn a master’s degree in school administration, which qualified me to become a school administrator.
My first experience in school administration (middle school assistant principal) occurred early in my career, and even though I enjoyed the experience, I missed coaching.
So, I went back to coaching in my home county (Burke High School in Charleston, SC) and loved every minute of it.
But as my family grew, there was a greater need for me to be available to help with the raising of our kids.
Consequently, I went back into school administration (assistant principal) at a brand-new high school (Dutch Fork HS) in Irmo, SC.
After three years there, I still missed being involved with athletics.
I was also at a pivotal point in my career, so I started looking at other administrative-type jobs in the school system.
An opening at the South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) became available.
The Executive Director of the League at the time asked if I would consider applying for the position.
That invitation, along with some encouragement from two respected friends, prompted me to apply.
Another one of the best decisions my family and I ever made.
I have been here (working at the South Carolina High School League) for almost thirty years and still enjoy the work and the people I work with.
We have a great opportunity and obligation to make education-based athletics a rewarding experience for all the student-athletes that take part in it.
For all these reasons – and many others – my time at Newberry College was transformative.
Even though I was a long way from home, the friends I made and the education I received prepared me for my professional career.
And for that, I’m forever grateful.