Carl Frye, after 43 years on the staff at Blue Ridge, is a fixture at the private school in St. George. Every game it seems, Frye is handling all the behind the scenes action, coordinating everything from travel to who’s running scoreboard. Or running it himself.
Now, after 22 years as the athletic director, Frye is retiring.
Frye announced his retirement during Blue Ridge’s morning assembly Friday and the school announced that basketball coach Bill Ramsey will take over as the school’s AD. Frye began his career at BRS as teacher and coach in 1969; in 1990 he was named athletic director.
From the school’s press release:
For the past 22 years, Coach Frye has advanced Blue Ridge School athletics. During these years, BRS teams have won four Virginia Independent School Athletic Association (VISAA) state championship titles, eleven Cavalier Athletic Conference (CAC) championships, six Virginia Prep League championships, three Virginia Independent Conference (VIC) championships, and three Old Dominion Football (ODFC) championships. He started the Blue Ridge School’s baseball, wrestling, indoor soccer, volleyball, and table tennis programs.
Frye coached many of the programs that he started for Blue Ridge School; his primary love being baseball which he led for 33 years. Additionally, he coached basketball, wrestling, track, football, and UVA basketball and baseball camps. In 1989 he was named Virginia Prep League baseball coach of the year.
Though Coach Frye has, in every way, had a successful career at Blue Ridge School, it has been more much more than a job; he and his wife Nancy have raised their four children on campus and two of his sons are graduates of Blue Ridge.
Coach Frye will forever go down in Barons history as one of the most loved and tenured community members.
“Coach Frye is an iconic member of the Blue Ridge School community,” said Acting Headmaster Trip Darrin. “Carl’s impact extends well beyond the playing fields; he has positively impacted countless young men. In the school’s 104-year history, it is hard to imagine someone more loyal and vested in the school’s mission than Carl Frye.”
Assistant Athletic Director Bill Ramsey will take over as Athletic Director at the end of the academic year. Coach Ramsey is an alumnus of BRS and has served as Head Basketball Coach for 17 seasons; this past season he reached a milestone 300th win as head coach. Honors for Coach Ramsey include: Virginia Independent Schools Division I Coach of the Year in 2000, recognition of the Piedmont Basketball Officials Association for Demonstrating Outstanding Sportsmanship, Leadership, and Integrity in 2003, Cavalier Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2006, and Virginia Independent Conference Division I Coach of the Year in 2011.
Plans to celebrate Coach Frye’s career are in the works and will be communicated to the BRS community soon.
