At Central Piedmont, the athletics programs of our past were a source of school spirit. Whether it was a sport played at an intercollegiate level or a recreational match on a Saturday afternoon, students from all walks of life came together for the love of the game. Over the course of 30 years, our sports teams ebbed and flowed in terms of participation and support, but this exhibition showcases how the athleticism, teamwork, and school spirit were a driving force behind each version of The Tigers sports teams.
"For the Love of the Game - The History of Athletics at Central Piedmont Community College" explores the various intercollegiate and intramural sports previously offered at the college, specifically basketball, cheerleading, soccer, and football. Artifacts on display were accumulated over the years from public donations and internal donations from Student Life, Student Engagement, and Facilities Services.
Special thanks to Bo Hightower, Isaiah Phifer, and the Club Football team for contributing to our growing Central Piedmont Athletics Collection. We would also like to thank photographer Patrick Chabai for the use of his Central Piedmont soccer photographs.
Artifacts
The following artifacts are from the Central Piedmont Athletics Collection (CPA.051).
From the Tigers basketball team to the Tiger's Den (Central Piedmont's former Student Center eating area), the tiger has a long history of representing Central Piedmont Community College. It also goes back farther than the College's inception in 1963.
Both Central High School (1923-1959) and Second Ward High School (1923-1969) — two institutions closely related to Central Piedmont's history — had similar mascots. Second Ward's football and basketball teams were known as the Second Ward Tigers. While not exactly a tiger, Central High School's mascot was another feline friend: the Wildcats.
On display is the Tiger mascot, which was worn at games and other college activities. There was a short period of time when it had gone missing, but it was discovered by Jennifer Conway in a storage closet at the Cato Campus and it now lives at the Central Piedmont Archives for future students, faculty, and staff to enjoy.
Artifacts
Intramural basketball dates back to 1966. The first Central Piedmont team played in a city league in the winter of 1968 and competed against teams from area companies, like Aetna Life, Humble Oil, and Southern Bell.
On February 4, 1969, the team played in its first intercollegiate match, beating Rowan Technical Institute (today known as Rowan-Cabarrus Community College) 96-63. Buoyed by this success, tryouts for Central Piedmont's first varsity team were held in October 1969 and a school-wide contest was held to name the new team. The winner was the CPCC Tigers.
Over the next 30 years, both men’s and women’s basketball teams played in a number of intramural and varsity leagues. In February 1995, the CPCC Tigers were ranked fourth in the nation by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)and had won many awards and championships.
The Tigers played their last intercollegiate game in the spring of 1997. However, a basketball team still existed past 1997, playing on a recreation league level, and participated in the Mecklenburg Park and Recreation League.
Artifacts
The following items are from the Central Piedmont Athletics Collection (CPA.051), unless otherwise noted.
Articles & Clippings
The following items are from the College Publications Collection (CPA.035), unless otherwise noted.
Photographs
 |
 |
There were two cheerleading teams from the 1970s to the 1990s: the CPCC Tigers Cheerleaders and the Golden Star Cheerleaders.
The Tigers Cheerleaders supported both of Central Piedmont’s male and female basketball teams, while the Golden Star Cheerleaders rooted for the Golden Stars soccer team.
The Golden Star Cheerleaders disbanded along with the soccer club in the late 80s, while the Tigers Cheerleaders lasted until 1997 when the CPCC Tigers basketball team played their intercollegiate last game.
Artifacts
Articles & Clippings
Photographs
Being the second most popular athletic club on campus, the soccer club was founded in 1977 and led by head coach Miguel “Mike” Pimienta and assistant coach Tripp Lipinsky.
By 1980, the CPCC “Golden Stars” gained a large following and included CPCC students from all over the world. The team was so popular, they even had their own cheerleading squad, The Golden Star Cheerleaders!
In addition to the name “Golden Stars,” the soccer team was also known as the Tigers. They participated in the Charlotte Amateur Soccer League, Charlotte Sports Center League, and the Mecklenburg Park and Recreation League.
Soccer has continued as an intramural sport at Central Piedmont as recently as 2021.
Artifacts
The following items are from the Central Piedmont Athletics Collection (CPA.051).
Articles & Clippings
The following items are from the College Publications Collection (CPA.035).
Photographs
The following items are from the Photographs Collection (CPA.036), unless otherwise noted.
 |
 |
Officially “kicking off” in 1970, the CPCC Outlaws played club teams from Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill, N.C. State, Eastern Carolina, Tennessee Military Academy, Clemson, Appalachian State University, Davidson College, and more.
The team largely consisted of Vietnam War veterans and local stars who played in high school. By 1972, the North Carolina Club Football Association was formed with The Outlaws playing within this association for three seasons. Members of The Outlaws also helped to create the Club Football Association, with assistance from their head coach.
Throughout the 1970’s, participation in club football waned due to costs of equipment and field rentals, but by 1983, there was a resurgence in football — flag football, to be exact. Sadly, the flag football team only played for only a few seasons and was disbanded by the late 1980s.
Artifacts
The following items are from the Central Piedmont Athletics Collection (CPA.051), unless otherwise noted.
Articles & Clippings
Photographs
The following items are from the Central Piedmont Athletics Collection (CPA.051).
 |
 |