BROOKLET — Saturday at 5:45 p.m., the Southeast Bulloch Yellow Jackets will honor a living legend in the form of “George Roebuck Night” at the new gym on SEB’s campus.
Roebuck — a Brooklet resident who enjoys his retirement with Dot, his wife of 59 years — is highly revered by Southeast Bulloch, Statesboro High, Brewton Parker College and Effingham County High, where he retired from teaching in 1984. His accomplishments all over Southeast Georgia will be acknowledged in the ceremony.
Roebuck started his teaching career at Brooklet High School in 1955, and when SEB opened its doors in 1956, merging with Brooklet and Stillson, he was instrumental in the athletic program.
He was there from the start, and he was called on to build the basketball program and coach baseball, heading both for five years. He continued coaching both the girls and boys hoops teams at SEB until 1970.
A main contributing factor to Roebuck’s legacy was not necessarily his teams’ performances on the field, but the high character his players developed off the field and into their careers.
“He wasn’t high on stats or anything like that,” said current Jacket basketball coach John Page. “The main thing he was really proud of was that he would take the tall ones, the short ones, the average and the mediocre, and just mold them into not only good players, but good citizens.”
Many former players and students of Roebuck’s will be in attendance while their mentor is recognized, and a few that could not make the trip sent in some words that will be read about the coach.
The presentation will be narrated by SEB principal Joni Walker-Seier and Yellow Jacket baseball coach and softball assistant Stephen Hoyle. The culmination of the event will reveal a picture of Roebuck, along with one of his famous quotes, which will hang in the new basketball facility (after asking for permission from the legend himself). The chosen quote will not be revealed before the dedication.
Already having his name frozen in time when the Brooklet Recreation Department named its athletic facility the “George A. Roebuck Complex,” he has also been inducted into the Hall of Fame at SEB, Statesboro and Brewton Parker.
Some of his countless honors and awards include the “GACA Distinguished Coach Award” in 1960, 1965, 1974 and 1975. He was recognized by Georgia Southern in 1979 for “Outstanding Achievement in Athletics” and was given the SHS appreciation award from 1970-1977. In 1990, he was presented with the “Dean Day Smith Award,” the “Brooklet Kiwanis Club Service Award,” the “Nevils School Dedication Award” and a “Veteran of Foreign Wars” flag pole dedication.
Aside from the recognitions from the athletic and academic worlds, Roebuck will be recognized for touching the lives of so many people in Brooklet and the numerous surrounding areas where he left his mark as a family man.
“He and his wife Dot Roebuck have been married for 59 years,” said Page, “and you really can’t ask for two more outstanding citizens in this area.”
Southeast Bulloch will ask the coach for permission to hang the tribute on the walls of the new gym after the family friends and the former students and players are acknowledged and the event will come to a close.
After the presentation, the Southeast Bulloch Yellow Jackets will host Metter in region play. The girls (3-4, 1-0) look to stay perfect in the region in a 6 p.m. tip-off, while the boys (2-4, 0-1) look even out the region record against the Tigers at 7:30.
Matt Yogus can be reached at (912) 489-9404.
Roebuck — a Brooklet resident who enjoys his retirement with Dot, his wife of 59 years — is highly revered by Southeast Bulloch, Statesboro High, Brewton Parker College and Effingham County High, where he retired from teaching in 1984. His accomplishments all over Southeast Georgia will be acknowledged in the ceremony.
Roebuck started his teaching career at Brooklet High School in 1955, and when SEB opened its doors in 1956, merging with Brooklet and Stillson, he was instrumental in the athletic program.
He was there from the start, and he was called on to build the basketball program and coach baseball, heading both for five years. He continued coaching both the girls and boys hoops teams at SEB until 1970.
A main contributing factor to Roebuck’s legacy was not necessarily his teams’ performances on the field, but the high character his players developed off the field and into their careers.
“He wasn’t high on stats or anything like that,” said current Jacket basketball coach John Page. “The main thing he was really proud of was that he would take the tall ones, the short ones, the average and the mediocre, and just mold them into not only good players, but good citizens.”
Many former players and students of Roebuck’s will be in attendance while their mentor is recognized, and a few that could not make the trip sent in some words that will be read about the coach.
The presentation will be narrated by SEB principal Joni Walker-Seier and Yellow Jacket baseball coach and softball assistant Stephen Hoyle. The culmination of the event will reveal a picture of Roebuck, along with one of his famous quotes, which will hang in the new basketball facility (after asking for permission from the legend himself). The chosen quote will not be revealed before the dedication.
Already having his name frozen in time when the Brooklet Recreation Department named its athletic facility the “George A. Roebuck Complex,” he has also been inducted into the Hall of Fame at SEB, Statesboro and Brewton Parker.
Some of his countless honors and awards include the “GACA Distinguished Coach Award” in 1960, 1965, 1974 and 1975. He was recognized by Georgia Southern in 1979 for “Outstanding Achievement in Athletics” and was given the SHS appreciation award from 1970-1977. In 1990, he was presented with the “Dean Day Smith Award,” the “Brooklet Kiwanis Club Service Award,” the “Nevils School Dedication Award” and a “Veteran of Foreign Wars” flag pole dedication.
Aside from the recognitions from the athletic and academic worlds, Roebuck will be recognized for touching the lives of so many people in Brooklet and the numerous surrounding areas where he left his mark as a family man.
“He and his wife Dot Roebuck have been married for 59 years,” said Page, “and you really can’t ask for two more outstanding citizens in this area.”
Southeast Bulloch will ask the coach for permission to hang the tribute on the walls of the new gym after the family friends and the former students and players are acknowledged and the event will come to a close.
After the presentation, the Southeast Bulloch Yellow Jackets will host Metter in region play. The girls (3-4, 1-0) look to stay perfect in the region in a 6 p.m. tip-off, while the boys (2-4, 0-1) look even out the region record against the Tigers at 7:30.
Matt Yogus can be reached at (912) 489-9404.
