For newly appointed Roseboro-Salemburg Middle School athletic director Lee Masters, coming back to Sampson County was not just a career move, it was a homecoming.
Masters took time Monday to reflect on his return to the place he said raised him and the opportunity to serve the same halls and fields that shaped his own youth. A native of Sampson County, Masters shared that leaving the district in the past simply never felt right.
“I was born and raised in Sampson County, and when I left, it did not feel right,” Masters explained. “Now I am back, actually, at my middle school that I went to. It is a full circle moment.”
Masters’ transition back home carries more than nostalgia. For him, roots matter. His mother once worked at Roseboro-Salemburg, and those personal ties make his return feel meaningful both for him and for the community he knows well.
Principal Becky Hines spoke about what his homegrown ties bring to the school, pride rising in her voice as she talked about Masters.
“It is very full circle to have someone return to the school they attended,” Hines stressed. “It is important to have people here that understand our community and want to be a part of our community. You cannot buy roots. It adds a layer of understanding and compassion when this is where you went to school and where you grew up.”
Hines added that Roseboro-Salemburg Middle thrives when leaders are personally invested.
“For me, I did not grow up here, but I bought into these kids,” she attested. “To have someone like Mr. Masters come back and pour into this place is great for our students and for our community.”
Stepping into the AD role during the start of basketball season means Masters had to get moving quickly. Yet according to him, the job is not about rushing, it is about prioritizing the heart of the mission.
“To me, it is not just about me as the AD. It is about the coaches,” Masters claimed. “You want to have a strong coaching staff that helps build the student-athletes. I am an athletic director that believes in standing behind my coaches and helping them succeed, which will then help our student-athletes succeed.”
Masters places strong emphasis on academics, viewing sports as a tool to open doors and teach life skills rather than simply chasing wins.
“Academics is always number one. That is why it is called student athletes,” he emphasized. “Students come first. Athletes are second.”
He hopes to expose RSMS students to opportunities early, even reaching out to college coaches willing to record messages, speak to teams, or simply provide encouragement. His belief is that middle schoolers in the Roseboro-Salemburg area deserve to see what their future can hold.
“I want them to see in an early setting what colleges can offer,” he stated. “I want to help them understand scholarships and help them build a career not just in sports but in academics.”
Masters has even reached out to former students as role models, hoping they will inspire the next group of young athletes.
While results and records matter, Masters made clear the deeper mission is developing strong people.
“It is not always about wins and losses,” he stated. “It’s about you building yourself as an athlete, and it’s about building character and building them as human beings.”
Hines echoed that message, praising his developmental approach.
“It is about the journey,” Hines said. “Sometimes we can learn more from a loss than we could ever learn from a win. We have to help students understand what the journey is about so they grow into better human beings.”
That shared philosophy gives Hines confidence that the athletic program can flourish under his direction.
“Mr. Masters has the compassion from this community and a skill set to pull people together and help them excel,” she said. “I have no doubt he will help our athletes be the best they can be.”
One of Masters’ priorities will be forming strong communication with Lakewood High School athletic director Daren Hulen. Masters believes that middle and high school programs should complement one another and prepare kids for the expectations ahead.
“These athletes are going to him,” Masters said. “So, as the AD of the high school, what are his expectations? What are his goals? They need to understand what the high school standards are. It cannot just be what I want. It has got to be what the whole program is looking for.”
He wants his student athletes to enter ninth grade already understanding the habits, discipline, and work ethic required to succeed.
“That gives them a fast track,” he said. “This is the age where they are learning. There will be failures, but this is the time to help them be ready.”
Masters has spent his first moments in the position studying the data from recent football and soccer seasons, reviewing trends, and identifying areas where the program can grow.
“I am looking at statistics from the past two years and where we were this year,” he said. “I have goals I would like to see, but I want to meet with the coaches to hear their goals and expectations. I do have things in place to help us achieve higher goals and move RS up.”
Hines believes that leadership will translate into results.
“With his leadership, I think he can add more hardware to that display,” she said. “He knows how to pull people together. He did that before, and he will do that here.”
Before wrapping up the conversation, Masters grew reflective about the people who shaped him.
“Definitely shout out to my wife and my kids,” he said. “And definitely God, of course.”
He named one administrator in particular who deeply influenced his life.
“I would like to give a shout-out to Mr. Gerald Johnson. He was my principal at Salemburg Elementary. He helped shape me and had a bigger impact on my life than I think he knows.”
Masters also credited one personal friend and mentor whose guidance has helped him grow as a coach and leader.
“One I want to give a shout out to is my brother, Mr. Sean Herring. He took me under his wing, helped me learn to build the portfolio you need as a coach, and mentored me all last season in track. Sean and I have become best friends. We call each other brothers now.”
For Roseboro-Salemburg Middle School, the arrival of Masters feels both like a reunion and the start of something new. For Masters, it is a chance to give back to the halls that shaped him. For the students, it marks the beginning of an era focused on character, preparation, opportunity, and community pride.
Hines summed it up simply.
“It’s about making our students better human beings and preparing them for all the highs and lows life brings. Having someone who understands this community and believes in these kids makes all the difference.”