Before They Were Names on a Wall: Louisburg’s Hall of Fame Honors the Hands That Built the Standard
Here in Franklin County, many young athletes have grown up hearing about the history long before they could understand it. They saw the pictures on the walls, the banners in the gym, the records in the books, the trophies behind glass, but they never knew the story behind those names.
These names are not on a plaque for show. They are a reminder of a history that was built by people who made a decision long ago that “good enough” would never be the standard.
So before we gather on Oct 17, 2026 to honor 3 legacies, let's first understand the stories behind them.
Coach Freddie Edwards: The Quiet Architect of a Winning Standard
There are people who coach teams. Then there are people who build cultures that carry on long after a player takes off their uniform.
Coach Freddie Edwards is one of those people. Through Coach Edwards' leadership, a culture was built that soon defined excellence in North Carolina volleyball. His career record of 406–60 speaks for itself, but it belies the hard work and dedication that made it possible. It all came from thousands of practices where details were corrected, effort was demanded, discipline was non-negotiable, and where athletes learned that showing up was only the start.
Under Coach Edwards’ leadership, his team won state championships in 1988 and 1989. They also earned five runner-up finishes and consistent Final Four appearances. That consistency tells a story of a team that did not rise and fall with talent. It persevered because the culture he built never changed.
He was known for seeing the potential in athletes before they saw it in themselves. He encouraged them to step into spaces where growth was uncomfortable but necessary. He understood that producing great athletes meant building confidence, and building confidence meant teaching them how to believe in themselves before the world told them how good they were.
As the Hall of Fame announcement shares, “Coach Edwards’ volleyball program became the standard of excellence in the state of North Carolina during his tenure. That's because excellence wasn't just a word to Coach Edwards. It was an expectation. Athletes were trained to do more than win. They were trained to prepare, to think, and to carry themselves like they belonged in high-level competition.
Coach Eddy Boyette: A Lifetime of Refusing to Leave the Work Unfinished
With fifty-two years in education and athletics, Coach Eddy Boyette’s legacy is one that many generations of athletes can say they had the chance to experience.
Over his coaching career, Boyette had over 250 wins. His most impressive seasons included leading the 1983–84 team to a regional runner-up finish and guiding the 1991–92 girls' basketball team to the state playoffs with a roster of only six players. This type of record shows us just how much he understood that success was not always about resources. It was about mindset, structure, and belief.
Even after retiring in 1997, he continued that legacy for 23 more years as a substitute teacher and new teacher mentor. That kind of presence creates emotional stability and a sense of care that goes far beyond just teaching.
Boyette's student athletes learned how to excel at their sport through discipline, respect and accountability. They learned how to carry themselves and that their actions mattered. That kind of impact endures long after his career ended.
Principal Thomas Riggan: The Leader Who Held a School Together When the World Outside Was Breaking Open
Principal Thomas “Tommy” Riggan became the principal of Louisburg High School in 1968. During this time, Franklin County’s education was in a transformative period where integration, social pressure, and community tension was reshaping schools across North Carolina.
In a school with over 1,200 students and a community with strong opinions, he made decisions that took courage and discipline. Principal Riggan is famously known for dismissing the National Guard from his campus, choosing to take responsibility for the safety and dignity of his students. He treated every student with equity during a time when equity was not universally practiced, and he quietly used his own resources to support families who needed help.
That same commitment and dedication also carried over into sports. Under his leadership, Louisburg High School won 26 conference championships, including a state basketball title in 1971.
Today, Principal Riggan is remembered for how he held a school together when it could have fallen apart, and for the way he made students feel safe in a turbulent time.
A Night to Honor the People Who Built What We Stand On
On October 17, 2026, at 6:00 p.m., Louisburg Magnet High School will open its doors for the Hall of Fame banquet. Tickets will be available for $30 starting August 1 through the Louisburg High School Athletic Booster Club.
But as we gather for this event remember what you are really being invited for; a moment to honor the fact that every athlete walking through the halls today is standing on a foundation built by people who refused to lower the standard, even when it would have been easier to do so.
Because at the end of the day, before their names were added to a wall, they were people who built the walls strong enough for those names to hang.