"The only difference between that and the other one is that I didn't get a parade," he said, alluding to the experience of the Carolina Hurricanes last week on the eve of his retirement. "For me, it's the highlight of my career. It's one of those situations where I'm leaving with a good feeling -- where we're at the top of our game."
Medlin is taking early retirement after a 29-year career in education. He began working at the Country Club of North Carolina in turf management this week.
He will be succeeded by Dale Buie, who will take on the duties as a part of his position as the assistant principal for student services. Physical education teacher and boys' head basketball coach Bobby Purvis is taking on additional duties as assistant athletic director.
Medlin, a native of Durham, went to Appalachian State on a football scholarship. He later received a master's degree from Gardner Webb. He coached and taught at Shelby Crest before coming to Union Pines in 1979.
Medlin, who served as the head baseball coach and assistant football coach at Union Pines in the mid-1980s, had Buie as a member of his teams. Medlin left Union Pines to teach, coach and serve as the athletic director at Cameron Middle School. Later, he was one of the first staff members at New Century Middle School before returning to Union Pines as the athletic director in 1999.
"He was a fierce competitor," Buie recalls of his high school coach, "and I think he brought that into being an athletic director."
Medlin resides with his wife, Pam, a teacher a North Moore High School, in West End. Their son, Kiel, is an East Carolina graduate, with a master's degree, pursuing a career in medicine.
Another son, Jordan, is a rising senior on a teaching fellowship at East Carolina.
Medlin feels it's the right time for him to step aside and have some younger people come in with new ideas. He said that as a teacher, coach and athletic director, he has always tried to treat people with respect.
"I've always subscribed to that in my messages to athletes that treating others the way you want to be treated is a good creed to live by," he said.
One of the challenges for an athletic director is finding enough money to take care of all of the needs of a school's athletic programs.
He feels that even though the funds were not always available, the higher levels of the Moore County Schools were sympathetic and willing to listen. He is proud of the athletic facility improvements that have been made during his tenure.
"The old adage that I've carried with me is to always leave something better than you found it," Medlin said. "I think my legacy is I've done that. And that's not from my work but everybody around."
There are six Wachovia Cups in the trophy case at Union Pines. The 2005-06 athletic teams at the school won championships in 11 of 22 varsity sports.
"As an athletic director you want to practice what you preach," Medlin said. "You're always telling the kids and the coaches to do their best if they want to excel. I think the Wachovia Cup is kind of a reward for that excellence. It's all because of the work of the kids and coaches -- everybody pulling together and making it work."
Union Pines Principal Robin Lea feels that the coaching staff is as strong as it's been in a long time and that significant improvements have been made in the athletic facilities under Medlin.
"Bill is definitely going out on top," she says. "He has worked very hard."
