Roger Whitehead
Special to The Randolph Guide
ASHEBORO —
A champion on the courts and ballfield, a champion in school life and, perhaps most importantly, a true champion in tackling life.
That could easily describe young Corbin Wilburn, a dedicated young man who has met life’s challenges and handled them in championship style.
As readers of The Randolph Guide discovered in a feature story about him earlier this year, Wilburn was born with an immune deficiency and spent the early years of his life going to Brenners Children’s Hospital. Later, he was sent to UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill.
Recently Wilburn completed another successful venture of summer racing in the All-American Soap Box Derby competition, where he again proved he was a champion.
Facing tough competition, he was among the top finishers in the National Derby Racing (NDR) action. Battling in four heats each day and a total of 14 races, Wilburn showed his skills by losing only one race.
“That was tough, but I really enjoyed it,” he said. “I felt really good, especially since I didn’t lose a heat.”
Wilburn made many new friends along the way as his appealing attitude and true feelings for wanting to help others came shining through. His winning smile and friendly attitude has enabled him to gain new friends from Florida to Ohio.
“He enjoys competition and meeting new friends,” said his mother, Denise Wilburn. “Corbin always gives everything he has, in school, sports or whatever. Facing the many challenges he has endured has helped him in sports and handling life.”
While racing in Florida, Wilburn took first place honors in both elimination races. These races allowed him to rack up enough points to earn another trip to Akron, Ohio, where he competed in the Soap Box Derby Nationals. There, he raced about four times each day, rolling up a first-place finish in his first race.
“That was thrilling,” Corbin said. “It was tough, but it was also fun. Up there the weather plays a lot into how you do in a race. Sometimes the weather helps you, sometimes it works against you.”
Wilburn’s soap box derby racing talents earned him a slot in the top 16 shoot-out and he has earned recognition for a top eight finish in the nation.
“It has been a lot of hard work, but it was worth it,” he said. “I had a great time but I couldn’t have accomplished it without the strong support of my family and friends.”
Wilburn doesn’t just race in the soap box derby. During the past school year when he was a student at Southwestern Randolph Middle School, he was a key member of both the Cougars basketball team and baseball team.
In addition to flashing his skills on the race track this summer, Wilburn has continued to shine on the baseball field as a member of The Storm, a travel league team out of High Point.
“I enjoy having fun like all kids,” he said. “I like competing and I always try to give a 100 percent effort.”
Wilburn has been a battler from the start. Having asthma, he has to keep an inhaler nearby and the recent high heat has caused him to have breathing problems. But he has refused to let those roadblocks get in his way.
Teachers and coaches alike at Southwestern Randolph Middle School continued to remark how Wilburn inspires them with his approach and attitude toward life.
He is not only a shining star in sports, derby racing and life, but he also excels in the classroom. He is a straight A student and was a member of the Cougars Beta Club.
At the close of the past school year, Wilburn was honored for earning the eighth grade Student Scholar Award, an award he also earned in the seventh grade.
Earlier this year doctors diagnosed Wilburn with scoliosis of the spine and he had to be fitted for a special brace he had to wear while sleeping at night. But as mom Denise quickly points out, “Corbin never gives up.”
At the end of the SWRMS school year principal Holly Embree presented Wilburn with the SW Randolph Middle School Inspiration Award (see box for Embree’s comments).
