Deacon Sports Xtra: Moody’s Legacy Defined by Relationships
9/13/2021 10:00:00 AM | General
“This is home.” -- Roxann Moody
Adorning the shelves in the David "Sarge" Tinga Equipment Room inside the Manchester Athletic Center are Roxann Moody's Wake Forest mementos and souvenirs. Within all the unique memorabilia, the most priceless pieces are the photos of student managers and colleagues -- past and present -- that she has worked hand-in-hand with over the last four decades.
"Student managers are the lifeblood of what we do," Moody said with a smile.
If anyone would know their importance it's Moody, who worked her way up from a part-time work-study program hire to an assistant athletic director.
"This is home," Moody said. "It's not a job, if that makes any sense. You are a part of something bigger when you are in Athletics. Going somewhere else or doing something else has never appealed to me as much as this job has."
Moody's Wake Forest journey actually began at High Point, where she played basketball for coach Wanda Briley. When Coach Briley was hired as the head women's basketball coach at Wake Forest in 1980, Moody transferred and became a Demon Deacon.
"I transferred here because of my relationship with Coach Briley," Moody said. "Additionally at the time, Ms. (Dot) Casey was in charge of all the women's programs. The two of them helped me find a place to live and made sure I had a room. It just all fell into place, but I had to have a job."
That's when Moody met Wake Forest Athletics equipment manager, David "Sarge" Tinga.
"He gave me a job on the spot and I sat down on the floor and started putting decals on football helmets," Moody said. "I became an assistant in the equipment room."
It was not long before Moody became the student manager for football, and she was later hired full time during Bill Dooley's tenure as coach.
"I never felt like anything was not possible because I was a female," she said. "With Sarge, it was about being the best worker, regardless of if you were male or female."
When Tinga announced his retirement in 2001, Moody put her name in the mix to potentially earn a promotion and to serve as his replacement.
"I'm sure I bursted into tears," Moody said about how she responded to the offer. "I'm a very emotional, wear-my-heart-on-my-sleeve person. Ron Wellman had confidence in me and believed in me. That was really important. He helped us get more staff and fill our needs."
Moody detailed the key to thriving in her position over the last two decades has been the great people in the Wake Forest community and within Athletics.
"I have been a fortunate person to work with all these incredible coaches who have supported and mentored me," Moody said. "There's been a lot of positive influences, starting with Sarge, who hired me in 1980."
"Student managers are the lifeblood of what we do," Moody said with a smile.
If anyone would know their importance it's Moody, who worked her way up from a part-time work-study program hire to an assistant athletic director.
"This is home," Moody said. "It's not a job, if that makes any sense. You are a part of something bigger when you are in Athletics. Going somewhere else or doing something else has never appealed to me as much as this job has."
Moody's Wake Forest journey actually began at High Point, where she played basketball for coach Wanda Briley. When Coach Briley was hired as the head women's basketball coach at Wake Forest in 1980, Moody transferred and became a Demon Deacon.
"I transferred here because of my relationship with Coach Briley," Moody said. "Additionally at the time, Ms. (Dot) Casey was in charge of all the women's programs. The two of them helped me find a place to live and made sure I had a room. It just all fell into place, but I had to have a job."
That's when Moody met Wake Forest Athletics equipment manager, David "Sarge" Tinga.
"He gave me a job on the spot and I sat down on the floor and started putting decals on football helmets," Moody said. "I became an assistant in the equipment room."
It was not long before Moody became the student manager for football, and she was later hired full time during Bill Dooley's tenure as coach.
"I never felt like anything was not possible because I was a female," she said. "With Sarge, it was about being the best worker, regardless of if you were male or female."
When Tinga announced his retirement in 2001, Moody put her name in the mix to potentially earn a promotion and to serve as his replacement.
"I'm sure I bursted into tears," Moody said about how she responded to the offer. "I'm a very emotional, wear-my-heart-on-my-sleeve person. Ron Wellman had confidence in me and believed in me. That was really important. He helped us get more staff and fill our needs."
Moody detailed the key to thriving in her position over the last two decades has been the great people in the Wake Forest community and within Athletics.
"I have been a fortunate person to work with all these incredible coaches who have supported and mentored me," Moody said. "There's been a lot of positive influences, starting with Sarge, who hired me in 1980."
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