GREYHOUND SPOTLIGHT

Jeneane Peele Long is a native of Portsmouth Virginia, where she grew up in the Mount Hermon section of the city.  She has one brother, Tavaris Peele who she has always looked up to and got her competitive spirit from by always trying to beat him in anything they played.  She was raised by her strong supportive mother Anita Peele, who worked hard to provide her family everything that they needed in life including strong values and beliefs.  Jeneane was fortunate to have the support of her grandparents Mrs. Flossie Banks and Mr. Joseph Wiggins who played a pivotal part in her life.  Growing up in Mount Hermon as a kid the sound of Norcom’s band practicing their music from a distance would always excite Jeneane.   She and her friends would march in her grandparents front yard pretending like they were in the band, she couldn’t wait until she was able to join the marching greyhound band.  Jeneane learned how to play the clarinet while in middle school, this prepared her to be able to try out for Norcom’s marching band when the time came.   While attending I.C. Norcom, Jeneane was an active member of the Marching 100.  She played the clarinet during her first 3 years, then joined the front section as a flag girl during her senior year.  She also displayed her athleticism as a point guard for Norcom’s varsity basketball team under Coach Henry Broady.  Upon graduation, Jeneane attended Norfolk State University and earned her B.S. degree in Human Resource Management.  Thereafter, she obtained a M.S. degree in Education while working at the Pine’s Residential Treatment Center as a counselor to children with emotional and psychological needs.  After obtaining her M.S. degree Jeneane began working as a Special Education teacher for Portsmouth Public Schools at Woodrow Wilson High School.  After 5 years of dedicated service to PPS, she went on to teach at Rosemont Middle School and Booker T. Washington High School in Norfolk.  She spent her last 6 years in Norfolk at Norview Middle School as the Special Education Department Chairperson.  She currently is a teacher in Chesapeake.  Because of her compassion to teach, Jeneane has been a constant fixture as an educator for 26 years and she still doesn’t hesitate to go above and beyond for her students.   Jenane is not only an educator, she is a coach, and business owner.  She is currently the girl’s tennis coach at her beloved alma mater where she made history when her team had their first winning season in over 18 years.  She is also the girls swim coach.  She never gives up on her player’s even those who have picked up the sport for the first time.  She encourages them to push for success, practice and instill the importance of putting in hard work to reap the reward of success.  Jeneane volunteers and mentors at-risk female and male youth throughout the Tidewater region.  She provides free tennis instructions to children and teenagers in Portsmouth during the summer months.  Jeneane enjoys spending time with her family, traveling and trying food from different cultures. Her beautiful smile and witty sense of humor attracts all that come in contact with her.   

In 1964, John also became the first student athlete from I. C. Norcom High School to be drafted by the NFL and the first Norcom athlete to play professional football.. 

In 1966, John was awarded a B.S. degree in physical education from Norfolk State University and earned a Master’s Degree in 1989 from Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI in counseling. Education helped him immensely in teaching, coaching and counseling. John taught in the Detroit Public Schools and Montreal, Canada for nearly 30 years. He coached high school football for four years and one year at North Carolina A&T University. He coached youth basketball and assisted with the Broncos Little League in Detroit, MI. and the Westside Cubs-Tiny Mites, coaching with his son. In Florida, he was an assistant coach of the Sharks, an AAU football team. In 2016, he coached the Crystal River Bulls football team that finished third in the Florida state regional for ages 10 to 11.

The game of football gave John some priceless life lessons on hard work, discipline, teamwork, and grit. There were many coaches that were mentors throughout his life that helped to mold him: William Archie, Joe Echols, Ralph Goldston, Vince Lombardi, William Ray, Sr., Horace Savage, and Bob Smith.

In 2004, John was an inductee into the NSUAF (Norfolk State University Athletics Foundation) Sports Hall of Fame and in 2015 an inductee into the HRAASHF (Hampton Roads Athletics Association Sports Hall of Fame).

John is the devoted husband of the former Ellen P. Gay and father of two adult children: John Baker, III (Brandie) of Detroit, MI and Lisa Heiskell-Tompkins (Solomon) of Chicago, IL. He is a proud and doting grandfather of Ryan Heiskell and John Baker, IV.

Now retired, John lives with his wife in Homosassa, FL and enjoys traveling, golfing, gardening and fishing. He also enjoys working with young children through the Academic Anglers, a non-profit organization founded by Dr. Charlie Roberts and John. The organization stresses the importance of education and the skills, techniques and enjoyment of fishing as a leisure time activity.