Pete Stafford: A coach’s coach and a great man

By Steve Williams

His bio is vast, but the first two things listed are Education and Family.

They come before Awards and Elected Positions. Even his Personal Athletic Accomplishments are listed at the bottom.

That should tell you all you need to know about Pete Stafford.

He’s not a highfalutin guy; not a conceited bone in his body.

When you are around him, you get the feeling he would do anything in the world for you.

And John L. “Pete” Stafford, 84, has done a lot.

Most of it has been across the river in South Knox County. But much of it too has flowed across the state as far as the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association is concerned.

This past Friday night, Pete and his wife Faye and their family were recognized at the South-Doyle High School football game.

“Pete had an amazing career,” said S-D Athletic Director Daryl Chandler. “His induction into six different Halls of Fame speaks volumes to his brilliance and skill as a player, coach, and administrator. While his honors are too numerous to mention, his humility is the quality that always gave me comfort and confidence to get the job done.

“His influence, advice, and support as a coach assured you he always had your back.”

Stafford received his Bachelor of Science from Maryville College in 1963, his Masters of Science from Tennessee Tech in 1971 and his Masters of Science +45 Hours from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville in 1973.

He and his wife were married in 1960. Faye was an All-State basketball player on Porter High’s 1959 state championship team and is in the Greater Knoxville and Blount County Halls of Fame.

They have two children, John Bryson Stafford and Kim (Darrell) Galyon, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

A longtime TSSAA wrestling official, Stafford is in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. He officiated 32 state tournaments in his career and received the TSSAA Award of Merit for 50 years of dedicated service as an athletic official in 2011.

Stafford was a member of the TSSAA Legislative Council from 1989 through 2002 and vice president of the council those last four years.

After teaching and coaching at Sevier County High School from 1963 through 1967, his work in the Knox County School system began at Young High in 1968.

When the Young and South high schools closed in 1976, Stafford continued his work at the new South-Young High School (1976-1991) and became head football coach of the Trojans for six seasons and athletic director and assistant principal for eight years.

After South-Young and Doyle high schools consolidated to form South-Doyle in 1991, Pete continued as assistant principal and AD through 2002.

His total years of service as a teacher, coach and administrator was 39 years!

The South-Doyle Middle School’s football field is named after him.

As an athlete himself, Stafford played football at Maryville College and was the Scots’ team captain his junior and senior years; starting every game and every quarter for four years.

Stafford also wrestled in college and was SEC runner-up his junior and senior years, posting a personal record of 19-1 his senior season.

At Porter High, Stafford was the Blount County Defensive Player of the Year and All-East Tennessee in football in 1958 in addition to being the Panthers’ team captain and MVP.

More importantly, however, Pete would probably tell you that’s where he met Faye, his sweetheart and the love of his life.