Former Hilton Head Island state championship coach dies of cancer
Bill Wrightson, the winningest coach in Hilton High School history, died Wednesday after a battle with cancer.
“Sad news from the nest today... Former XC, Track Coach and HHIHS HOF’er lost his battle with Cancer today. RIP Coach Bill Wrightson,” the school posted on its Twitter page.
Wrightson was part of HHI’s cross country and track programs for more than 20 years, the last 13 as head cross country coach. He retired in 2017. His 13 state championships are the most by any coach at Hilton Head Island High School, and he ranks third in South Carolina among cross country coaches for state titles won.
The Seahawks boys cross country team won a state title, and the girls team finished second in Wrightson’s final season in 2017. Wrightson was named the 2017 South Carolina Track and Cross Country Coaches’ Class 4A Boys Coach of the Year.
Wrightson’s teams won 21 region titles, eight boys’ state titles and five girls’ state championships. In 2014, Wrightson was named US Track and Field Coaches Boys Cross Country Coach of the Year and in 2015 was National Federation of High School Coaches’ Girls Cross Country of the Year.
As distance-events assistant coach in track, his 4-by-800-meter relay team won 10 of the last 11 state titles. Wrightson was selected to the school’s Hall of Fame in 2018.
According to a 2017 story in the Island Packet, Wrightson got involved with the Seahawk cross country program when his daughter Christie tried out for the team in 1995.
Wrightson became a booster, doing whatever coach Chuck Rudolph asked. He drove kids, worked a stopwatch, bought them a tent and warmups, and once rented a Winnebago so the Seahawks team could stay cool at the state track meet.
When Christie went to Duke University, he stayed on as a volunteer assistant coach.
As head coach, with volunteer assistant Max Mayo, Wrightson and the Seahawks teams achieved great heights, including winning five straight state titles from 2013-2017.
Wrightson was known for his motivational tactics and quotes he gave to his athletes over the years.
“A life is not important except for the impact it has on other lives,” Wrightson said, using a famous Jackie Robinson quote.
After retiring, Wrightson and his wife Joy moved to Durham, N.C., to be closer to daughter Christie.