In small towns, a sense of community is something people tend to value significantly more that in larger areas and cities. Duffield, Virginia is no exception to this. Located in Scott County on the boarder of Tennessee, Duffield’ city limits house less than 100 citizens, with many more on the outskirts of the limits. Robin Hood understands the importance of community unlike any others.
Hood grew up in an even smaller community just on the outskirts of Duffield known as Fairview. “I grew up during a time when television was converting from black and white to color and you only had three channels to watch,” said Hood. “So, most of my time was spent outside.”
Hood’s father passed away when he was just six years old. His mother, a mother of 12, raised him and all his siblings alone. Hood believes he gets his strong work ethic from his mother. “Even though we were poor it seemed as though we were rich and she could handle any situation,” said Hood.
Sheri Hood is Robin Hood’s niece. She also grew up in the small Fairview community. “I have lived beside him my whole life,” said Sheri Hood. “We grew up together.”
From Fairview, he attended Rye Cove High School located again on the outskirts of Duffield in Clinchport, Virginia. Then, the school was attended by less than 400 students and continues to house about the same number of students today.
Hood also received an Associate in Arts degree in education from Mountain Empire Community College and later his Bachelor in Arts degree in health from the University of Virginia at Wise.
Hood, who was a star athlete in high school, later became the head coach of the Rye Cove football team, the War Eagles. He coached for a time through the 80s, even leading the team to the playoffs. He then took an extended break from coaching only to return again from 2015-2017.
Hood attributes some of his strongest influences to be his own football coaches and has extended on that tradition. “He was an influential coach. Robin changed it from a football team to a football family,” said one of Hood’s former athletes, Rufus Williams. “One thing that brought us together as a football team was his way of treating us like his own sons.”
Hood and his wife Donna have five children, all daughters, which Hood also coached their high school basketball teams. He now also has numerous grandchildren.
Hood continues to work at the Eastman Chemical Company where he has worked for most of his life, including while he coached at Rye Cove High School and worked on both of his degrees.
While Hood believes his coaching days are over, he knows the school system very well including the problems that the Scott County schools are facing. “I had coached in the school system for 20 some years,” said Hood. “I knew our school system needed changes, so I became a politician, not only to help my grandchildren, but to help other students also.”
Hood was elected as an official Scott County Public School Board member in the recent 2019 local election. Hood resides over District 6 of the county, the district he knows best.
“I voted for him because I believe he will do everything in his power to help our students and our community,” said Sheri Hood. “I hope he will focus on improving our schools in Scott County and bring more jobs to our community.”
Robin Hood is a devote Christian with strong ethics along with many hopes and aspirations. “I hope to make this a better world for my grandkids,” said Hood, “with hope, of not failing my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
“He shares my views and I know how much he cares about the school system,” said Williams. “He is passionate about the local youth and wants to see them succeed. I knew he would be great for the position.”
Like Williams points out, Hood is focused on protecting and helping our youth and he does this the best way he knows how, through the community. In a small town like Duffield, the community is centered around the school system and the events that are held at each school.
“The future of the world is our youth,” said Hood. “Being an elected School Board member, maybe I can help with this.”
Sheri Hood also concurs with this idea. “He loves his family and this community with his whole heart,” said Sheri Hood. “He goes out of his way to help both.”
Williams also hopes to see Hood integrate more activities, groups and clubs into the areas school systems. “I think a soccer team would be great for the younger students in the county and since soccer is growing so much in the United States, I think it would open up more scholarship opportunities to student athletes,” said Williams. “I know his passion for sports and I believe he would love to get as many people involved with sports as possible.”
It is obvious that Hood is a goal driven individual with a strong work ethic and a great understanding of what community really means to such a small area of the nation.
“I think that he’s just a genuine human being. He has always been there when we have needed him,” said Williams. “He doesn’t just care about the students and the community, but he acted on it and ran for school board.”
Hood believes he someone who cares for others. “I’m someone you can count on,” said Hood. “There’s no mountain too high for me.”
