The inaugural class of the North Carolina Physical Education (PE) Hall of Fame was inducted Sunday in Winston-Salem and includes, left to right: Artie Kamiya. Don Puckett, the late Larry McDonald (widow pictured) and Catawba County’s Randy Bernhardt and Tim Elrod./SUBMITTED PHOTO
Catawba County has 2 of first 6 selections for new Hall of Fame
By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
WINSTON-SALEM – Two Catawba County educators and coaches were inducted Sunday into the North Carolina PE (Physical Education) Hall of Fame.
In a ceremony at the Courtyard Marriott in Winston-Salem, Randy Bernhardt of Claremont and Tim Elrod of Maiden were inducted as part of the hall’s first class.
Bernhardt taught for 32 years at Balls Creek Elementary and is still active as a coach (baseball and basketball) with the Balls Creek Optimist sports programs. He coordinates baseball for the organization.
BERNHARDT
During his baseball coaching career, Bernhardt was head coach at Maiden High for four seasons and an assistant at Bandys for 18 years. He also coached the Catawba Valley Storm in Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and the Lake Norman River Pirates in American Legion baseball.
Bernhardt, 66, retired from teaching in 2011 but remains active in a part-time role for Big Kahuna Timing, a group that works at high school and college track and field events.
He has three degrees – an Associate of Arts from Mitchell, a Bachelor of Science from UNC-Wilmington and a Masters of Art Health and PE from Appalachian State.
Bernhardt’s recognition includes an Order of the Long Leaf Pine in 2011 and his PE program at Balls Creek Elementary was recognized as the state’s top program in 1990.
He was named Teacher of the Year at Balls Creek in 1982-1983 and the Catawba County First Union Educator of the Year in 1988.
Elrod taught and coached at Shuford Elementary and also had a tenure as head track and field coach at Newton-Conover High. He owns Big Kahuna Timing (https://bigkahunatiming.com/).
