750 Volunteers Power Raleigh Golf Tournament for Charity

When James McCullers Jr. lines up on Friday nights, he's calling plays as Southeast Raleigh High School's quarterback. This week, he's calling something different: helping power one of Raleigh's biggest golf tournaments alongside more than 750 volunteers.

The UNC Health Championship kicked off Thursday at Raleigh Country Club, bringing professional golfers from the Korn Ferry Tour to North Carolina. But the real story happens behind the scenes, where McCullers Jr. and his teammates are learning lessons their coach never taught on the field.

"Last week we set all the leaderboards up and put up the boundaries," McCullers Jr. said. "This week we clean up trash, get water out, and help out with the buildings."

For the young quarterback, watching professional athletes prepare their shots offers unexpected parallels to his own sport. "How they hit under pressure; it's cool to watch them play," he added.

His father and coach, James McCullers Sr., sees the tournament as training ground for life after football. "Definitely leadership," he explained about what his players are gaining from the experience.

Building leaderboards requires coordination between players of different skill levels, all working together to make everything function smoothly. It's teamwork, just with hammers instead of helmets.

The Ripple Effect

The tournament is inspiring changes the coaching staff never anticipated. "A lot of kids tell me they want to pick up golf now," McCullers Sr. said, noting how the experience is helping his players think beyond their current sport.

The volunteer work is also building unexpected connections. "It's like family," the team shared about meeting tournament attendees and other volunteers while parking cars and managing operations.

These moments of community building serve a larger purpose. Proceeds from this year's championship support the future NC Children's hospital, along with several health-focused nonprofits including the Grayson Murray Foundation, established after the PGA star's death in 2024 to help others facing mental health challenges.

For Southeast Raleigh's football players, what started as volunteer hours has become something more valuable: a window into leadership, community service, and possibilities they hadn't considered before stepping onto the fairway.