Lest The Tiger World Forget Tommy Roy

FORMER ATHLETIC DIRECTOR MADE IMPRINT

PRAIRIE GROVE — Health issues challenged the dreams of Tommy Roy to the point he tendered his resignation as Prairie Grove athletic director two years after he was hired.

Roy was hired for the position May 18, 2015 to fill a vacancy created by the Aug. 31, 2014, death of longtime Prairie Grove athletic director and former coach Mike Green.

In a letter dated May 18, Roy writes, “It is with a heavy heart, I am resigning my position as Prairie Grove Athletic Director immediately. I am doing so, due to my current health condition.”

Roy has been hospitalized three times in the last year. He was out for three months last fall, then returned. Roy collapsed in the Prairie Grove administration offices May 12 and was transported by ambulance to the hospital. In his resignation letter, Roy stated, “There are currently some unanswered medical questions.”

His resignation letter was labeled “accepted” by Prairie Grove superintendent of schools Allen Williams on June 1. The school board officially accepted the resignation during its June 17 meeting, at which time Joey Sorters, assistant principal at Prairie Grove High School, was hired as athletic director.

Roy’s interest in making Prairie Grove his home originated in 2013 while watching a basketball game at Prairie Grove High School. Then a soccer coach and history teacher at Shiloh Christian School of Springdale, one of the Tigers’ chief rivals in the 4A-1 Conference, Roy told his wife, Christa, “This is a place I can see myself settling down for the rest of my life.”

Roy’s impact has been positive and far-reaching. No sooner had Roy been hired than Prairie Grove had to replace former baseball head coach Mitch Cameron. Chris Mileham applied and Roy recognized a quality coach. Mileham implemented his own standards of excellence, believing there is a proper way to do things. Mileham labored to improve the baseball facilities at Rieff Park. Roy was on board with the installation of a new minor league baseball scoreboard.

During Roy’s tenure as athletic director, Prairie Grove advanced to its firstever appearance in a state championship football game in December of 2015. The Tigers reached the 4A state semifinals last season. Roy was instrumental with an appeal to coach Mat Stewart from Shiloh Christian to take over the helm of the Lady Tiger volleyball program in 2016.

Roy also played a role when Dana Froud was hired as head coach for Prairie Grove girls track and field. The girls numbers increased and the program is on the rise. The Tiger boys soccer teams made the state tournament in 2016 and 2017. Head boys coach Darren Chandler and head girls soccer coach Stephanie Mitchell were named to the 2017 All-Star soccer coaching staffs. Mileham was nominated as an All-Star baseball coach.

Roy advocates restoring the system of granting the top two seeds byes at the district tournament with an automatic berth into Regional competition. He noted when Prairie Grove was eliminated 5-4 by Gravette and Shiloh Christian struggled against Lincoln in the first-round that potentially the top-two teams from 4A-1 baseball, representing 40 wins between them, could have been replaced by lowertier teams with less than 10 wins combined.

“It preserves the integrity of the conference,” Roy said.

Sadly, Roy didn’t witness the fruition of a May 16 surprise ceremony he orchestrated to honor Tiger football coach Danny Abshier, who was named National Federation of State High School Coaches Association’s Southwest Section Coach of the Year, as well as Arkansas Coach of the Year.

Roy made certain the press was aware, sending out texts from his hospital bed. He invited Abshier’s mentor, former Harrison and Huntsville coach Tommy Tice (289-160-6, .642 winning percentage), the third winningest high school coach in Arkansas history. In Roy’s absence, Williams presented the awards as Abshier was joined on the field by his family.

Roy’s daughter, Mia, 12, has attended Prairie Grove schools since fourth grade. She has taken an avid interest in horses and horseback riding. The family had considered purchasing horses and pasture land, but that dream, too, has been challenged.

“I have a family to take care of and the first step in doing so, is to take care of my health,” Roy writes. “Also, I want to be fair to Prairie Grove and the athletic program. Prairie Grove needs someone whose health they can count on. This has been a difficult decision, but I believe I am making the best decision for my family and for Prairie Grove athletics.”

Roy closes his letter by thanking the school board members and Williams for the opportunity he was given to be athletic director.

“My family and I will continue to support the Tigers, as we watch our daughter continue to grow and be a part of the Prairie Grove family.”

The Tiger world will long benefit from Tommy Roy’s contributions and his impact upon Prairie Grove athletics.

MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER Tommy Roy has resigned as Prairie Grove athletic director due to health reasons. Roy was hired in May of 2015. During his tenure the Tigers played for the 2015 state 4A football championship and qualified for state in boys soccer in 2017.