Jacob Conley
Wednesday, April 22, 2026 12:26 pm

The Rutherford County Sports Hall Of Fame (RCSHOF) announces registration is open for the 2026 T. Max Champion Memorial Golf Tournament. The tournament will be held Friday, July 31 at the Apple Valley Golf Course in Lake Luke, with a shotgun start at 9am. The registration fee is $100 per player or $400 for a team of four.

Registration covers the green fee and cart usage. Lunch will also be provided. First prize for Gross and Net Winners is $600 per team. Other prizes will be awarded based on the number of entries. Proceeds from the event go to support the RCSHOF Scholarship Fund. Registration deadline is July 21.

For more information or to register, visit: https://www.rcshof.org/ or call Randy Page at 828-429-7773.

Each year, the RCSHOF golf tournament is held to honor the memory of Champion, a football coach for more than five decades. He coached football at East Rutherford, CHASE and R.S. Central. He also coached baseball at East Rutherford. He coached football for a total of 36 years and baseball for 12. Champion was a 1969 East Rutherford graduate and 1974 Appalachian State graduate. He began his career in education as the driver's education teacher at East Rutherford.

Champion was a founding member of the Rutherford County Sports Hall of Fame in 2017. His guidance and leadership were an integral part in the success of RCSHOF. Champion served as a board member from 2017 until his death on April 19, 2021.