Bibb County football coaches, players take stage to talk up their programs at first media event

 

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com
 

          On falls Fridays in Bibb County, there are some rivalries among the longtime city schools.

          Southwest and Westside is growing a little bit, especially since Southwest broke Westside’s long winning streak against county schools with two straight wins.

          One of Westside head coach Spoon Risper’s players said the losses didn’t really weigh on him

          “It weighed on me,” Risper said with a laugh. “Coach (Joe) Dupree got to go home to his wife and say, ‘Honey, we did it!’ My wife asks me, ‘Are you all right?’

          And Risper made a growling noise.

          The county’s public school head coaches and select players came together at the Hutchings College and Career Academy on Anthony Road on Monday night for the first football media day, with everybody all scrubbed and dressed up in their Sunday clothes, and nearly everybody in a tie.

          New county athletics director Barney Hester said the idea came from Northeast athletics director and boys basketball coach Kevin Grooms. The addition of Hannah Moore as the district’s sports information director helped accelerate the execution, all of which came together in less than a month.

The two leaders spoke at Bibb County's football media day before the coaches and players took over the microphone.

Photo: Michael A. Lough/The Sports Report of Cenral Georgia

          Hester took the job in the spring and has stayed busy, with efforts ranging from football facilities to improving media communications with county programs – including a new website, www.bibbathletics.com - to other sports to working on improving the perception.

          Hester welcomed Superintendent Curtis Jones, who was among the several dozen onlookers on hand.

          “I haven’t really spoken about athletics in the past,” Jones said. “But I think if you think about our value proposition, where we say leadership, scholarship, and citizenship, you can see how important it is.

          “My belief is that some of the best leaders we have in our schools area athletes.  I think they have the opportunity to prove that almost every day.”

          He has seen the work at different schools put in since practice started.

          “That is the key to being successful,” Jones said. “I believe if you see a successful athletic program, you’ll see a successful school.”

          A few dozen counties and areas throughout the state have started doing football media days in the past few years, and the Bibb coaches were clearly happy to get the chance to promote programs that don’t always get a lot of attention.

          “This is very awesome to have this,” Risper said. “I’d like to thank all the coaches for getting their players out here and just having them look so nice and so classy.

          “That means a lot to our school system in Bibb County. … I think having this tonight is going to take all of our programs to another level, and how people perceive us.”

          Central, Northeast, and Howard have new head coaches. Central’s Joaquin Sample was promoted from within the staff, and like co-newcomer Jeremy Wiggins at Northeast along with Southwest’s Joe Dupree, is leading his alma mater.

          Considering the relative lack of success of Bibb County public schools and not being the most information-oriented or media-savvy collection, having a media session is something few foresaw even a year ago.

          “I think this event is indicative of the direction of the district, I think we’re trying to get everything at a first-class level,” Sample said. “And having Coach Hester and Miss Moore and Coach Grooms trying to promote this, this is a big thing.

          “Like I said, I think this is indicative of where we’re going as a district.”

          Risper is the veteran of the group, starting his 20th year in the Seminoles’ system. While he runs the county’s most successful program, and admits feeling the accompanying pressure each year, he took a look at the bigger picture of what the coaches’ jobs are.

          “On Friday nights when we play each other, we kind of hate each other,” he said. “There’s a lot of testosterone level. But once the game is over, we all shake each other’s hands. When we’re at events like track meets, we’re fellowshipping, we’re talking.”

          He said players see that and begin to engage amongst themselves. He hopes locals supporting locals continues and grows.

          “At the end of the day, we’re all from Macon,” Risper said. “People have their perceptions of Macon. Let’s give them something to talk good about.”

Cameron Hill, Nolan Ussery, head coach Jeremy Wiggins, Isiaiah Hilson, Terrious Miles Jr., and Roderick Smith of Northeast. Photo: Michael A. Lough/The Sports Report of Central Georgia.

          The players mingled before and after the event, and none really offered any bulletin-board material, although Southwest standout Randy Green came mildly close.

          “Speaking of Westside, it’s just really another block in the road,” he said. “Either we’re gonna be stopped, or we’re gonna step over ‘em.

          “I ain’t looking to be stopped.”

          Central and Northeast are on their third head coach in three years, and Howard on its fourth entering its 11th season.

          Paul Carroll came up from Warner Robins two years ago, and was hired to replace Hester – the longtime Tattnall head coach before going 18-32 in five seasons at Howard, including the first playoff trip, last year.

          What’s the difference between the old head coach and the new head coach?

          “We don’t call him ‘Crazy Carroll’ for nothing,” linebacker Deandre Shelton said, drawing huge laughter, including – most importantly – from his head coach.

          Rutland is still a fairly young program, starting its 17th season, and veteran head coach Mark Daniel is beginning his third season, with a 2-17 record.

          “We wanted to try to change and teach and change the attitude,” Daniel said. “We had some difficulty with some older players. A lot of them were slow to change.

          “This year … the attitudes in practice and the weight room have jumped this year, tremendously.”

          He sees overall program progress, the kind somebody with his varied resume needs to see, and the Hurricanes are weary of playing down to the reputation of a program that has two winning seasons.

          “I’m just ready to show, showcase that our team is not the laughingstock, and that we’re actually pretty good,” quarterback/cornerback Andre Dennis said. “I’m ready to play.”