Warner launches book to ‘honor ECU legends’

Near the end of Dr. Stacy Warner’s new book, the author recalls a story about how she was welcomed her first day on East Carolina University’s campus.

“If I get to work with people like him, ECU is where I want to be,” Warner writes in the acknowledgments section of “Building Community Via Sport: A Better Together Society.”

‘Him’ is the late Dr. Nelson Cooper, a former associate professor in the College of Health and Human Performance who died from ALS at age 50 nearly 10 years ago. Warner dedicated the book to Cooper, Dr. Jimmie Grimsley and Eva Price, describing them as ECU legends whose “profound impact through teaching and community building continues to inspire others.”

Nelson Cooper helped start the F3 ENC workout group.

Warner, the Dr. Leroy T. Walker Distinguished Professor in Department of Recreation Sciences and Sport Management, lauded the trio’s impact in HHP at ECU and their noteworthy roles in the Greenville sport scene.

On Cooper (1967-2017): Nelson’s legacy is in the many recreation professionals he trained at ECU, and his passion for promoting leadership through sport was instrumental in establishing F3 (Fitness, Fellowship, and Faith) in eastern North Carolina. He was a cherished and favorite instructor to many ECU students.

On Grimsley (1944-2015): His entire career was spent at ECU, beginning as a graduate assistant and culminating as an associate professor emeritus. Jimmie also was very active in the Greenville sport community, with stints on the Greenville Babe Ruth board of directors, Greenville Little Leagues board of directors, J.H. Rose High School athletic foundation and the Bradford Creek golf advisory committee. He served as the official clock operator for both Pirate football and basketball for more than 40 years, and was a trusted friend to many people.

On Price (1978-2013): She was a well-known, beloved instructor at Rose’s Gymnastics and is credited with starting ECU’s homeschool physical education program. Eva’s legacy is in the physical education teachers she trained at ECU, and her character and spirit can be seen within the many children she taught in the local community. She was committed to student success, saw the best in people, and had the ability to calm and/or bring great enthusiasm and humor to any situation.

Dr. Jimmie Grimsley was inducted into the ECU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015.

“They were amazing people, memorable educators and impactful community builders in sport,” Warner said. “This is not a traditional textbook — it’s a resource for sport management educators to use in courses focused on sport and community development. Ideally, I would love to see this book read by not only future sport managers, but current leaders and managers who want to improve our sport systems and society. It’s aspirational, lofty and ambitious, but most importantly, it’s authentic, well-informed by almost two decades of research, and inspired by Coop, Dr. Grimsley and Eva’s legacy.”

“Building Community Via Sport: A Better Together Society” was published by the ECU Sport and Community Development Lab and distributed through UNC Press. All proceeds from the book will be used to advance the lab’s mission and support ECU sport management student experiences. A 30% discount (code: ECUSM30) is available on the paperback format if purchased directly from UNC Press. The ebook is available on multiple platforms.

Warner has long served as a mentor to students in the sport management discipline, while gaining accolades in sport management research as one of the most highly cited researchers on “community building” and “sense of community.” This book uses Warner’s sport experiences and local sport narratives to detail her research establishing the Sport and Sense of Community theory and the role of sport in fostering community, health and cohesion. The book also provides a diagnostic tool for sport managers to assess their organization and ends with Warner’s call to action.

“Sport is not just a trivial activity. It is a powerful tool that can improve individuals’ lives and have a tremendous impact on society,” she said. “It is now up to each one of us to stay the course as we promote sport and its community-building potential to create a ‘better together’ society for all.”