Calvin "Cal" Irvin passed away peacefully on November 25, 2017 at Morningview Assisted Living facility after battling Alzheimer's for 16 years. He was the last of ten children born to the late Cupid and Eliza Irvin. A funeral service will be held Friday December 1, 2017 at Trinity AME Zion Church, 631 E. Florida Street, Greensboro, NC. Visitation will begin at 11:00 a.m. The service will begin at 12:00 noon. Interment will follow at Carolina Biblical Gardens. Cal received his early education in the public schools of Orange, New Jersey. He excelled academically while playing three sports; baseball, football and basketball. He was named to the all-state team in basketball for two years. He was the first African American to serve as the commencement speaker at Orange High School. Upon graduating from high school, he received a scholarship from Morgan State University to play basketball and football. He was captain of the basketball team and All- CIAA running back in football. After a leg injury, he was no longer able to play; therefore he transferred to the University of Illinois where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree. He received a Master's of Arts from Columbia University and did further study at University of North Carolina Greensboro. Before starting his career in teaching and coaching, he was recreation supervisor in the Department of Recreation in East Orange, NJ. His first teaching and coaching job was at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, NC, where he served as the head basketball coach and assistant football coach. He guided the basketball team to their first CIAA championship. After four years at JC Smith he coached at Atkins High School in Winston Salem where he won a state championship. Cal continued his career at North Carolina A&T State University as a teacher, the head basketball coach and assistant football coach. His main focus was developing a winning basketball team with student athletes and improving the character of young men. He nurtured many of them stressing the importance of education, perseverance, respect and dignity. He taught them about the game of basketball as well as the game of life. Cal mentored many students guiding them towards the right path of life. Eighteen of his players became professional basketball players; most notable is Alvin Attles, former coach of the Golden State Warriors. He is the only coach from an HBCU to win a national championship. Cal spent 35 years at N.C. A&T of which 18 were spent as the Aggies Head Coach. He started a winning tradition, never experiencing a losing season while compiling a 348-105 record. He won five CIAA championships and the first MEAC championship. On a national level A&T was the first black college to earn a bid to the NCAA Small College Final Four Division Tournament. They advanced to the Final Four and finished third in the country. This was repeated in 1964. In 1971, N.C. A&T became NAIA district 26 champions and placed third in the championship game in Kansas City, MO. Cal is the author of three publications on basketball techniques: "Developing a Low Post Offense", "A Pressing Defense", "Our Basketball", and "The Value of a Low Post Offense". After his coaching career, he was appointed Athletic Director and served in that position for seven years. He also served as Chair of the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation for seven years. After his retirement from N.C. A&T, he worked as a scout for the NBA Charlotte Hornets and later as a scout for college officials for the NFL. Due to his proficiency as coach, teacher and humanitarian, Cal received numerous honors and awards which include: honors from the North Carolina Hall of Fame, Guilford County Hall of Fame, Guilford Wall of Fame and National Association of College Athletic Directors Hall of Fame. He received Hall of Fame honors from N.C. A&T, MEAC, CIAA, Johnson C. Smith University, Morgan State University and New Jersey. A scholarship was established in his honor at an appreciation scholarship dinner by the Greensboro community for his dedicated services as a teacher, coach, athletic director and outstanding citizenship. Cal was honored in 2006 when N.C. A&T dedicated the Aggie Basketball Court in his honor. Cal was involved in many professional and civic organizations. Some of them include: North Carolina Hall of Fame Board of Directors, North Carolina Coaches Association and the National Collegiate Athletic Association of Basketball Coaches. He was Treasurer of the Tourist and Convention Bureau, the Greensboro Coliseum Commission, Greensboro Sports Council, Parks & Recreation, Human Relations Committee, Hayes Taylor YMCA Board, President of Trinity AME Zion Church Men's Fellowship Forum, member of the Board of United Way, life member of the NAACP, a member of the Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. Cal leaves to cherish his memory a loving and devoted wife of 59 years, Kathryn W. Irvin. A nephew, Harvey Grimsley, who grew up as a brother, several nephews, nieces and two goddaughters, Leah Swann and Jana Shaw. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: The Calvin "Cal" Irvin Endowment Scholarship Fund, N.C. A&T State University, Division of University Advancement, Dowdy Administration Bldg., Suite 400, 1601 East Market Street, Greensboro, NC 27411 The Center to Outreach in Alzheimer's Aging & Community Health (COAACH), at N.C. A&T State University: 2105 Yanceyville St, 2nd Floor, Greensboro, NC 27405.