Robinson officially Hillside's boys boss

Basketball coach built Leesville Road

Darryl Robinson, who built Leesville Road High into a state boys basketball power, is the new boys coach at tradition-rich Durham Hillside.

Robinson resigned his position at Leesville Road this spring in anticipation of going to Hillside, and his hiring was approved this week.

"If you have a chance to get someone like Darryl Robinson to join your program, you jump at it for the sake of the boys," said Bob Hill, Hillside's athletics director. "To give our young men the opportunity to play for Coach Robinson is something very special."

Robinson replaces Wayne Howell, who was not retained as coach.

"Wayne really worked hard and did a nice job," Hill said, "but Darryl is a little more experienced."

Robinson started the Leesville Road program when the school opened in 1993. After the 2002-03 season, he went to Appalachian State for one season as an assistant coach. He returned to Leesville for the 2004-05 season.

"I greatly admire [Hillside principal] Earl Pappy, and he's been after me to join his faculty for a while," Robinson said. "He was my assistant coach at Leesville for a while, and it will be great working with him again."

Robinson said he had joked for years about leaving Leesville Road when former principal Richard Murphy and retiring athletics director Marshall Hamilton left the school.

"I said it as a joke, but they were incredible people to work with," Robinson said.

Robinson said he hopes he will be missed at Leesville, but more as a person than as a coach.

"I wanted to be a role model and an adult who kids could talk to," he said. "I hope that is how I'm remembered there."

DUTCH LIKES BRAZIL: Johnny Dutch's first major international track and field event was a success.

The former Clayton High star won the 110- and 400-meter hurdles in the Pan American Junior Championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Southern Durham's Patience Coleman was second in the girls' high jump.

Dutch finished second in both hurdles events during the junior national championships in Indianapolis this summer.

"The Pan Am juniors was different than any meet I've been to because of the competition," Dutch said. "All the other athletes were No. 1 or 2 in their countries. It was an incredible experience."

Dutch topped Jorge McFarlane of Peru 13.46 seconds to 13.51 in the 110 hurdles and defeated teammate Jason Perez 50.82 to 51.22 in the 400 hurdles.

Dutch had competed in Puerto Rico before, but the trip to Brazil was completely different, he said.

"There were no real plans for us other than the competition," he said. "They told us they were treating us as adults. I got to see a lot of sights."

Dutch and sprinter Shawn Crawford went out most days to experience the city.

A University of South Carolina recruit, Dutch said he doesn't plan to compete in any other major meets this summer.

"The college track season is so demanding that I want to rest my body some and let it recover," he said. "I'll work on my flexibility, and I'll start working on the 42-inch high hurdles that they use in college, but my biggest goal is to start my college career rested and in great shape."

NEW CARY ACADEMY AD: Randy Jordan, a former athletics director and boys basketball coach at Goldsboro High, is the new athletics director at Cary Academy.

Jordan also will coach the boys basketball team.