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By Guest Columnist Brittany A. Tennant, Communications Specialist
BARNESVILLE - Gordon State College has announced plans to develop a club football team that will begin competition in Fall Semester 2020.
Club football is an 11-man, full-contact football league competing at the collegiate level. Unlike traditional intercollegiate sports, however, club teams are not funded by the institution’s athletic department. The GSC club football team will operate under the direction of the Office of Student Life and Recreation. Students interested in participating will pay an annual fee, and the team will also raise money through sponsorships and donations.
“Club Football is the perfect fit for our campus,” said President Kirk A. Nooks. “We know that many students want to participate and compete in athletics while they are in school. This outlet will serve as another avenue for our students and community to connect. This approach to club sports will complement our intercollegiate teams and bring to life our vision for a vibrant campus.”
“We are extremely excited to be adding club football to Gordon State College,” said Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs Dr. John Head. “On many campuses, club sports play an important role in student life by providing a more competitive option than intramurals, but without the cost of the intercollegiate programs. Students have been asking about football for some time, and it is one of the most requested programming options we have had. Club football is a great option, allowing us to meet the needs of our current students, offer a sport that is of interest to prospective students, and provide an activity that we feel can draw fans from Barnesville and across the region.”
Gordon State will join the National Club Football Association (NCFA) and will be competing against institutions supporting football programs at the college, community college and collegiate prep school level. Currently, there are 27 colleges participating in the NCFA, including two institutions from the University System of Georgia: Columbus State University and Middle Georgia State University.
According to the NCFA, “The organization is the only National Federation of Collegiate Club Sports Leagues (CollClubSports) sanctioned inter-collegiate club tackle football league in the United States. We are driven to provide collegiate student-athletes with the opportunity to play competitive, organized college tackle football, and to continually enhance this experience for all participants. We strive to accomplish this by building lasting relationships based upon trust, commitment, dedication, understanding, and strong lines of communication.”
GSC aims to bring an additional 50-70 students through the club football team who would be full-time, degree-seeking students and live in the residence halls.
Additional information regarding coaching staff, tryouts and other club football updates will be forthcoming in March of 2020. If you are interested in playing club football at Gordon State College, email Calvin Adams in the Office of Student Life and Recreation at studentactivities@gordonstate.edu.