The list of accomplishments for each Mike Emmons and Terry Metcalf is long.

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Both men spent more than 30 years at North Callaway while serving in different roles such as coach, athletic director and teacher and both had those accomplishments recognized before the Thunderbirds’ 30-14 victory against Mark Twain on Friday night. Emmons and Metcalf were inducted into the North Callaway hall of fame.

“They’re dedicated to North Callaway High School,” football head coach and activities director Kevin O’Neal said. “Coach Metcalf was here for 32 years and coach Emmons was here for 31 years. Not only did they teach you about the sport that they were coaching, but they also taught you how to be a good person in life.”

Emmons was the football coach for 24 years, serving as O’Neal’s mentor when O’Neal was a player and assistant in Emmons’ staff. He compiled a 157-94 record while leading the Thunderbirds to eight district titles, four conference championships, three state quarterfinal appearances and only four losing seasons. The former baseball coach, junior high basketball coach, track coach and activities director was inducted into the Missouri Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2014 — a year after his retirement.

Metcalf was the girls basketball head coach from 1988-2000, coaching the 2000 school hall of fame inducted Ladybirds to their first and only Final Four appearance in 1990, and accumulated a record of 218-93. He also served as the activities director from 2002-2015, when he started new volleyball, wrestling and cross country programs in his time as activities director but is credited for starting the baseball program prior to that in 1995, serving as the first head coach from 1995-1998. During his time with North Callaway, Metcalf was also the softball head coach from 2000-2007 and coached junior high football, junior high boys and girls basketball, and junior high softball.

Emmons and Metcalf said North Callaway felt like home to them, which is why neither left and logged more than 30 years experience as a Thunderbird.

“The quality of the community and the kids were great,” Emmons said. “We didn’t always have the biggest or the fastest athletes, but we had kids that cared and worked hard. We knew they were going to give their best most of the time. I see so many places in the world where there’s problems, and I just didn’t have to deal with that here. I feel very fortunate for the people I got to work with and the support I got.”

“I was in the same district, but I changed positions a lot so I didn’t really get bored with what I was doing,” Metcalf said. “The kids are just awesome here. I’m sure I could’ve gone somewhere else and made more money, but these kids are so awesome, the parents are so supportive and the administration is so good. To me, there was no reason to go anywhere else.”

Metcalf’s proudest accomplishments and memories reside with the 1990 girls basketball Final Four team. Where that Ladybirds team lacked in raw talent, Metcalf said it made up for it in great technique, work ethic and intelligence as North Callaway took home third place that year.

Still, while Metcalf was happy with his players’ athletic accomplishments, he is even happier with the people his athletes and students became.

“It’s not just the kids that I coached, but kids in my classes,” Metcalf said. I just really enjoyed that bond too.”

Emmons has similar sentiments for his former players, who joined him and Metcalf on the field on Friday when they were each presented with plaques commemorating their inductions. While Emmons does have plenty of championships to his name and fond memories because of them, the kids that were vital in winning those have special importance to him.

“You always think about the championships and all that stuff, but I think about some kids that wouldn’t have graduated if it hadn’t been for athletics,” Emmons said. “I’m still in touch with them now because I know what they do for a living and I know they’re successful because they graduated. I think about the kid who was ready to drop out but stayed in school because he loved football.”

O’Neal is one former player Emmons said he stays in contact with as he feels fortunate that his former four-year starter who is a “fantastic person that worked hard” that he “carried on what matters” to him. 

In his career so far, O’Neal said he coached under Emmons and Metcalf in football and baseball, respectively, and played basketball for Metcalf along with his period as a player with Emmons. For many years, each of them has served as a mentor for O’Neal.

“Those two gentlemen are very special to me,” O’Neal said. “They were both coaches whenever I played here and then got the opportunity to come back and coach with coach Emmons and coach Metcalf on the baseball team. They have done a lot for me in my life and very deserving to go to the hall of fame.”

When O’Neal started as a teacher and a coach, he said he modeled himself after Emmons because of the way he cared about kids and what he taught them about life. He is proud to have followed in his footsteps.”

Emmons is credited with coining the phrase Thunderbird Proud and each new inductee believes actions of a North Callaway student or faculty member can affect the future.

“To me, Thunderbird Proud means being part of the history of North Callaway and doing my part to maintain and elevate the standards set before us,” Emmons said.

“It means seeing a former student at a restaurant, wedding or at Walmart and getting to talk about all the great memories we share,” Metcalf said. “It means I will bleed green for the rest of my life."

Look for what happened during the football game and other updates in North Callaway athletics on the Mexico Ledger website.