Dale Steele literally built the Campbell Football program from the ground up. He arrived in Buies Creek in 2006 and spent the next two years putting together facilities, a staff and roster in time for the program to relaunch in 2008 after a 58-year hiatus.
Coach Steele brought a quarter century of college football coaching experience to Campbell and turned the program into a winner in just four short years.
The son of a high school coach and graduate of the University of South Carolina, where he played on the offensive and defensive lines, Dale began a coaching career that lasted more than 45 years when he took a graduate assistant position at Ball State in 1977.
Over the years, his travels took him to Wisconsin, Tulane, Wichita State, Kansas State, East Carolina, Baylor, East Tennessee and Elon before he and his family moved to Harnett County in 2006. Among the many accomplishments of his career, include five bowl trips and back-to-back FCS national titles while he was on the staff at James Madison.
Now retired, he has served as an advisor to current Campbell head coach Braxton Harris and is involved with the Myrtle Beach Bowl, while he and his wife Pam spend as much time as possible with their grand kids.
Earlier this year, Coach Steele was inducted into the Campbell Athletics Hall of Fame.
In the next installment of Tales from the Creek, Campbell Hall of Fame member Dale Steele talks with Stan Cole about his paths to Campbell, starting a football program from scratch, and more.