GREENSBORO, N.C. — At Dudley High School, words meant more when they came from John R. "Skip" McCall. He was the voice of Dudley High School Athletics for more than 20 years.
"He really loved every single kid," said Frank McNeil, who is the girls basketball coach at Dudley High School. "He would come up with nicknames for all the kids. He was just a fun-loving guy, really loved kids, passionate about all sports, very encouraging to all athletic teams. That was Skip in a nutshell."
To athletes like Coleman Wood, his voice meant everything.
“It just felt like someone always believed in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself," said Wood.
McCall left his seat at the mic in 2019 for health reasons. He died Saturday night at the age of 71.
“I knew him personally," said Wood. "He always gave me a bag of bubble gum before every game. He always called me Iceman 2.0. I always kept that name throughout high school. He always uplifted me.”
Coaches and players said they'll miss the loving and encouraging man behind the mic.
“I love the whole Dudley experience and playing here every night, and expecting Skip’s voice," said Wood. “Rest in peace, Skip. Love and miss you."