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Wlaf1450‘Coaches don’t realize the impact they have on an athlete’- Billie Ann Evans
JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF)- Legendary Campbell County High School Track Coach John Faulkner will be recognized this afternoon at the track he christened when he started the track program in 1975. Billie Ann Duncan, Evans these days, was on some of Faulkner’s early teams; 1978-1981.
TOP PHOTO: John Faulkner setting up for a track meet for one of Coach Billie Evans meets.
“Let me tell you what John and Jack, Faulkner’s late brother, did for me. Jack started the track program at La Follette Junior High School, and he got me started in track, and he helped me develop my love for track,” said Evans. Jack Faulkner loaded me up with his kids and drove me every where to meets, Evans says.
“John instilled a love for track in me and enhanced my love for track at the high school. You could hear John’s voice all over the track. He was an encourager, a motivator, and I always knew he would be there pushing me, and others, to be my best,” said Evans.
Evans was a 400 runner and down for Faulkner in track. One season she decided to run Cross Country and was the only girl on the team until late in the season. “Our first meet was at Northshore in Knoxville, and after I’d been running a while I was like “what am I doing?” I prayed, Lord, if you let me finish, I’ll never do this again,” said Evans. That thought only lasted until Evans finished, and John was so happy that didn’t quit. “That did it. I could not quit and let him down,” said Evans.
When Evans started coaching, the first person she went to was John. He ran all the races for Coach Evans at La Follette Middle School and then when she coached at Campbell High.
“It was at the SEC meet at Knoxville a few years ago when I was officiating, and word got out that I was from La Follette. It was impressive the number of people who were then coming around telling me I was from Faulkner country, acknowledging John and Jack. They have quite a legacy,” said Evans.
“John will never know the impact he had on my life. Coaches don’t always think about that. As my career came to a close, John told me “I’m proud of you, Billie. You’ve done good for track,” said Evans as she fought back tears. “Now that was something coming from someone I held in such high esteem, John Faulkner,” said Evans. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-04/08/2025-6AM)
LHS did not field a Track Team until the spring of 1958 when 6 boys were caught breaking curfew during spring football practice under Coach Ron Pinchback. He had mandated that anyone caught doing so would run 100 laps around the practice field in front of the school. The six culprits were: Jack &Mack Sharp, Jimmy Smith, Mickey Nichols, John Douglas (not certain about this one) and Johnny Faulkner. Faulkner ran so fast and so consistently that Pinchback recognized his talent and decided to initiate a Track Team. He had cinders from the old ovens on Indiana Ave hauled to LHS, graded a course around the football field, and laid the cinders. All aspiring tracksters used rakes to level and crush the cinders. And, viola! We had a Track Team!
I went to college with both of them at Cumberland. They left quite a legacy up there also.