Charleston, SC | Breaking News, Sports, WeatherRemembering Paterno's trips to the Lowcountry

Remembering Paterno's trips to the Lowcountry

Scott Eisberg:

seisberg@abcnews4.com  

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) -- There are so many people with so many memories of Joe Paterno. The legendary head coach spent plenty of time finding talent in the Lowcounty.

"Joe Paterno made a living recruiting great lower state of South Carolina players." Stratford High School head coach, Ray Stackley said. Stackley knows firsthand, Paterno gave him a visit nine years ago to recruit former Stratford running back Rodney Kinlaw.

"Very grandfatherly, very kind, he had no ego or 'I'm greater than thou complex.' He talked to everyone from the janitor to the head coach."

Stackley remembers vividly two memories from Paterno's trip to Goose Creek. First, Paterno tripped getting into his rental car and tore up his suit and hands.

"He was a greatest generation type guy. They were working him over and he basically told his assistant you better shut up. I'm tough, I don't need you doting on me," Stackley fondly recalls.

The other memory Stackley remembers from that trip is when Paterno saw a list of Stratford's best weight lifters on the wall of the weight room. "He said, gosh, they're stronger than us!" I had to explain to him that was the best of the past 25 years here."

Stackley, not the only coach in the Lowcountry to have a story about Paterno coming for a recruiting visit. The year after Paterno went to Stratford, he visited Fort Dorchester to recruit Paul Cianciolo. Coach Steve LaPrad fondly remembers that day.

"He was the first big dog to come through here, I was in awe."

LaPrad asked Paterno to speak to his class. "He said, I'd love to Steve. We went into the auditorium, he put on a show, I'll never forget it, it was unbelievable," LaPrad said. Usually with a 75 year old man speaking to a group of kids, 70 to 80 percent of them will tune it out. 100 percent of those kids listened."

Two local coaching greats, truly getting to rub elbows with one of the greatest.