Nomination year:  2025

Nominated by:  Mark Strong

Nomination Category:  Athletes & Coaches

Sport:  Basketball, Softball, Tennis

Years Participated:  1960-2018

Career Summary:

Faye (Strong) Watson enjoyed one of the longest careers in local sports history, either playing or coaching for nearly six decades from 1960-2018.  Her historic athletic career began on a dirt basketball court at Moss Elementary School, continued at Celina High School on the hardwood, kept rolling on the softball diamond, and culminated with an impressive tennis career.

Watson was the leading scorer on a Moss basketball team that defeated Celina in elementary school, before the two teams came together at Celina High to form one of the best squads legendary coach John Teeples ever had.  Graduating in 1965, Watson was a three-year letterman and a part-time starter her senior year playing with four current hall of fame members.

After playing slow-pitch softball for many years, Watson then became the first-ever Celina High School fast-pitch softball coach, when she started the program in 1986 and quickly turned them into the best team in the area.  The Lady Dawgs finished as district runners-up in 1987, district champions in 1988, and district and region champions in 1989—which still stands as the only time in history a Lady Bulldog softball team has earned a sub-state game.

Outside of school sports, Watson also became a dominant tennis player who won over 300 matches over four decades (1978-2018) playing in leagues and tournaments all across Tennessee and Kentucky.  She starred as a singles player, but also played doubles and mixed doubles.  Among her many titles, Watson won the UTSA-sanctioned 40s age class tournament, the UTSA Regional Doubles State Championship, and played in the National Region Championship.

Nominator Comment:

“Faye’s impact on local sports is unmatched.  She not only played multiple sports at a high level, but she also started a sport here in Clay County by becoming the first fast-pitch softball coach and leaving a legacy that still continues today.  She even ran the Music City Half Marathon and finished third in her age bracket in 2009.

“She always had the uncanny gift of seeing her opponent’s weaknesses in the games she played and coached in, and had the ability to take advantage of them. Plus, not many people have had careers span that many years and be successful while doing it, which makes Faye Watson more than deserving of induction into the Clay County Sports Hall of Fame.”