On Friday afternoon, Johnson City community members and local officials gathered to recognize a lifelong community leader and servant of Johnson City, Coach Bob May, by unveiling the newly named “Coach Bob May Lane,” which runs in front of Science Hill High School’s front entrance.
May was recognized by speakers including Johnson City mayor Todd Fowler, Tennessee state representative Diana Harshbarger and state Senator Rusty Crowe.
“It’s fitting that we should salute those citizens who through their extraordinary efforts have distinguished themselves as community leaders,” said Crowe as he read the proclamation signed by himself, Harshbarger and their counterparts in Nashville.
The former coaches and athletes who were asked to speak about their memories of working with May described him as a man of faith and humility. They recounted stories of how he inspired them and pushed them to be the best versions of themselves both on the sports field and in life.
“His whole purpose with every young person he came in contact with, whether they played football or whether they walked the halls, was to help make them be the best they could be,” said Jeff Blackburn, who played football during May’s time as coach.
Another former athlete, Mark Eades, remarked that May’s influence extends beyond just the young boys he coached. He said that the influence that May had on those athletes as young boys stayed with them as they became grown men and then husbands and fathers. In this way, Eades said that May’s influence has no doubt reached thousands of people throughout the Johnson City community.
May coached and taught in Johnson City Schools for almost forty years before retiring in 1995. In retirement he went on to serve Johnson City as vice mayor from 1995-1997 and as mayor from 1997-1999. He was inducted into the Science Hill Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007, and he was also honored on the Johnson City Parks and Recreation Wall of Fame in 2007.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://harshbarger.house.gov/media/in-the-news/coach-bob-may-lane-unveiled-recognition-former-mayor-science-hill-coach