WILLARD BAILEY: A COACH FOR ALL AGES

Richmond, VA - The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) recently celebrated its 88th year in collegiate athletics. Therefore, any career mark with the moniker "CIAA" beside it holds special meaning. For example, the winningest college basketball coach hails from the CIAA, Clarence "Big House" Gaines of Winston-Salem State. Last week, Willard Bailey, the "Dean of CIAA Football Coaches," became the conference's career coaching leader with 186 victories. His Virginia Union Panthers defeated Livingstone 40-6.

Willard Bailey

Bailey's career started at Virginia Union in 1964 as an assistant under Tom Harris. Bailey tutored under Harris for seven years until 1971, when he was named head coach by VUU president Alex James. It only took two years for Bailey to deliver the first CIAA championship in 50 years to the school. "There's no question, that first championship team is special. My assistants as well as myself, and the players gave a lot to get to that point," says Bailey. His run of success would continue at VUU, as he brought home three more championships, in ‘79, ‘81, and ‘82.

After an unprecedented 12 year run of success at VUU, Bailey moved to CIAA rival Norfolk State. Bailey also completed an unprecedented feat when he had a four-peat split between two different institutions. He went back to back in ‘81 and ‘82 at VUU, and back to back at Norfolk State in ‘83 and ‘84. He coached there until 1994, when he returned to VUU for his latest stint.

Bailey has been touted as "The Dean of CIAA Coaches" for good reason. His coaching tree includes Livingstone's Gregory Richardson, Elizabeth City's John Wright, and Hampton's Joe Taylor to name a few. "I have to give a lot of credit to the coaches that I've worked with for my success," says Bailey. "There's no way I can mention what they have meant to me."

While Bailey wears the crown of CIAA coaching greats, he says there are many coaches he has gone head to head with, and holds in high esteem. Among those Bailey mentions are John Merritt (Tennessee State), Willie Jeffries (South Carolina State, Howard), and Bailey still calls Eddie Robinson "the dean of all football coaches."

Along with the coaches he has groomed, some of the CIAA's greatest players have been Bailey products. The list includes, Malcolm Barnwell (Oakland), Herbert Scott (Dallas), Anthony Leonard (San Francisco), David Robinson (Washington), and Jesse Chavous (Denver) among many. Regarding the long list of players who were under his regime, Bailey looks at all of them in the same light. "I could not mention one player over another, all have helped me build great teams."

When asked about how good CIAA Football has been over the years, Bailey is emphatic. "The conference has been blessed with great athletes," Bailey chimed. "CIAA Football is the biggest secret in the history of the NCAA...ever since Roosevelt put this thing together."