GDW Analysis:
HOLLY POND: Former Holly Pond High School principal and basketball coach Felton Easterwood has passed away.
Gameday Weekly learned of this Monday morning.
It has been confirmed by a news source through social media.
Easterwood came to Holly Pond in 1954/55 to coach Bronco basketball.
His first season the Broncos would go 19 & 8.
The Broncos enjoyed a fine 1959/60 campaign with 26 wins, 7 losses and a district championship.
His all time record at Holly Pond is 153 wins and 97 losses.
Easterwood was an impact in getting a Thanksgiving tournament played at Holly Pond, starting in 1957.
The tournament is still active and is 1st in AHSAA in invitational tournaments that has spanned almost 7 decades.
After coaching Easterwood became principal at Holly Pond and would also serve as an impact for his term as Superintendent of Cullman County Schools.
Something Easterwood played a good role in was the creation of the Cullman County Sports Hall of Fame.
GDW is aware that Easterwood, Bill Lay and others had conversations with former Cullman Times Sports Editor Bill Shelton.
Shelton wanted this as to honor those who have been special to playing, coaching and otherwise in Cullman County.
The inaugural induction took place in April of 2000.
Easterwood would go into the Hall in 2001, sharing this with well known people such as Tom Drake, Roland Johnson, Dafford Smith, Chester Freeman, Sue Rhodes and GW Clapp.
A true fan of the game of basketball, Easterwood would be seen often in his later years at Holly Pond, watching the games in a sectional seating area in the Southwest corner with his wife, Polly and many friends.
Easterwood, his wife were seen regularly when the AHSAA Northwest Regional was played at Wallace State Community College.
The Easterwoods would locate themselves to see great basketball on the Northwest section of the facility.
The current gym at Holly Pond was named after Easterwood when it officially opened in the fall of 1983.
Funeral arrangements have not been released.
Photo of Felton Easterwood Gymnasium at Holly Pond High School in November of 2024.
Photo courtesy of Holly Pond High School.
