Sometime after the seventh round of "Rocky Top", Coach Rick Barnes walked into the side door of Mount Olive School's gymnasium.
Pandemonium - the kind that only hundreds of school kids wielding pom-poms can create - ensued.
"Being here today, I don't even know if I can describe it to you," Barnes told 10News. "When I walked into that gym I'm not sure what I was expecting you could just feel the enthusiasm. Just being here is a blessing. It really is."
10News anchor Russell Biven helped coordinate the surprise with Coach Barnes. The coach took the school up on their offer of free cafeteria food.
In turn, Barnes, who purchased t-shirts for every student, offered up some kind words of wisdom, telling the kids a story about a young kid who struggled through school and made it through with the help of his teachers.
Him.
Six students then had the special opportunity to read Barnes a note they had written themselves.
"It almost brought tears to my eyes because of the sincerity of it. That really, really touched me," said Barnes, recently awarded the Naismith Coach of the Year award.
After the pep rally, Barnes took a picture with every single class and the teachers.
"This was a really special day, and we can't thank Coach Barnes enough," said Casey Cutter, Principal at Mount Olive Elementary.
It was just as special for Coach.
"I really believe someday they're going to look back on this school, the teachers, their principal and everyone as their heroes," Barnes said. "I'm telling you that's going to happen for them."
