Marty Gordon
NRVsports@mainstreetnewspapers.com
Norm Lineburg is being remembered as a dominant high school football coach.
He passed away this past week.
With 315 wins, 283 of which came in his 38 years with the Bobcats, he is one of the winningest coaches in state history. Lineburg became the head football and track coach at Radford in 1970, where he led the Bobcats for 38 years, from 1970 to 2007. He became one of the winningest coaches in Virginia High School League history and was inducted into the VHSL Hall of Fame in 1997. Under his leadership, the Bobcats won two football state championships and four state championships in track. He also served as athletic director at RHS.
Radford High School commented on Lineburg’s death on a social media post.
“Today, Bobcat Nation lost one of its finest to ever wear black and gold,” it reads. “Coach Lineburg was a legend in every sense of the word. He embodied the heart and soul of what it means to teach, coach, mentor and love. He impacted the lives of so many and he will be missed.”
Former Blacksburg High Coach Dave Crist also reflected on the loss of his friend and fellow coach.
“Coach’s teams required their opponents to be as prepared as they could possibly be,” said Crist. “If they were not greatly prepared you probably were not going to be successful. As hard as we competed against each other on game night, we were very good friends. My family had a lot of respect for Coach, Joanne, and their four sons. Coach Lineburg was a coach that all coaches should aspire to be like.”
“In fact if all people throughout the world would aspire to be like him, the nations of the earth and the people of the earth would find ways to get along,” he continued. “I will miss him.”
Radford City School Board Chair Gloria Boyd commented on Lineburg and his impact on the Radford community.
“On behalf of Radford City School board and Bobcats everywhere, I want to express sincere sympathy at the loss of our legendary Coach Norman Lineburg,” she said. “Above and beyond his coaching successes, he influenced and encouraged countless students at Radford High School. He was truly a man of integrity and faith.”
“As a member of the class of 1972, we treasure extra special memories as we cheered our football team to two undefeated seasons and state championships under the leadership of Lineburg,” she continued. “These achievements established RHS as one of the top high school football teams in the nation at that time. Coach Lineburg was second in VHSL football history with 315 wins. Nine players from the 1972 state championship team went on to play Division 1 football.
“So many memories will be shared in the coming days, but rest assured, Coach Lineburg impacted too many lives to ever be forgotten.”
Lineburg grew up in Winchester and graduated from John Handley High School in 1954 and was later inducted into the school’s Hunter Maddox Hall of Fame. He attended Shepherd College, where he played four years of football and served as team captain of the 1958 Shepherd College Rams.
He began his teaching and coaching career in 1959 at Andrew Lewis High School in Salem. His first head football coaching position was at William Byrd High School in 1960. He later taught at Fieldale-Collinsville High School in Henry County, serving as head football and track coach from 1964-1969.
Lineburg was honored by the Radford community when they renamed the football field where he led the Bobcats to many wins. The Norman G. Lineburg Field will remain as part of his legacy.
Because of the large number of friends and colleagues who might like to honor Lineburg, two events are set for Radford University’s Dedmon Center.
The family will receive friends from 4 until 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1, at the Dedmon Center. A celebration of Coach’s life will follow at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 2. Everyone is encouraged to wear their Bobcat Black and Gold.
