A College Star of Tomorrow Could Be Starring at Your Local High School Today

Have you been to see your local High School football team play lately?

If your answer is "no," I have a suggestion for you. Find a game this week and go watch some of the best football in the country.

In the South, High School football is big. You can ride through "Anytown, Georgia" on a Friday night and see those stadium lights shining in the distance.

If you roll down the windows, you might even hear the roar of the crowd.

Parents, friends, students, and just plain old football fans fill up those local stadiums every week to cheer on their team.

The atmosphere is slightly different from the college or pro games. 

Very seldom will you hear anyone scream at the kid who just dropped the pass.

Or cuss at the freshman place kicker who just missed a 25-yard field goal.

Be careful if you let loose at that defensive back that just got beat on a post pattern. That could be his Mom sitting behind you...you might get slapped in the back of the head!

I've never been slapped in the back of the head.

But thankfully, I have watched some great High School football over the years.

A Winning Tradition

At Cartersville High School in Cartersville, Georgia, the stands will most likely fill up before the opening kickoff.

If a big rival is the opponent, the visitors' side will be full as well. The overflow crowd will stand along the track. The student section will be loud.

The Purple Hurricanes will most likely play their hearts out and make us proud.

Cartersville has a long, proud history when it comes to High School sports.

The football and baseball programs have both won State Championships. The support given by the local community is overwhelming.

In Cartersville the winning tradition began with their first team.

In 1948 the Canes went 8-3. Since that first season Cartersville has gone on to win 443 games. Always a strong home team, they have won 244 games on their home turf.

Two State titles (1991, 1999) and 14 Region titles highlight 45 winning seasons in 59 years.

The Canes won 23 games in a row from 1991 into 1992. That was a fun time!

This year the team is off to a 4-1 start and hopefully on their way to another playoff appearance. Carrollton awaits this week. That will be a battle.

The Stars of Tomorrow

Each season, every Friday night, we sit and we watch.

We talk about the potential. We talk about the boys that seem to have that "something special." We wonder if this player or that player will go on to something big.

Many Purple Hurricanes have gone on to play major college football. Georgia, Georgia Tech, Auburn, and Florida State have all recruited and signed Cartersville players.

Four players that wore the Purple and Gold also went on to play in the NFL.

We were fortunate to get to watch Ronnie Brown (current Miami Dolphin), Andre Fluellen (current Detroit Lion), Keith Henderson, and Robert Lavette under the Friday night lights.

In the past few seasons, when the schedule was right, you could very well see Ronnie or Andre back at Weiman Stadium supporting the Canes.

Even for a pro football player, a Friday night High School game is the place to be.

You might be missing out

How about you? Did you get to watch that USC running back play on Friday night? Or that quarterback from Texas? Or that wide receiver from South Carolina?

If you have watched much High School football over the years, chances are you have.

So this Friday night, do yourself a favor. Head on down to the local high school game.

You are sure to see a great game, and it will be played with all the heart and passion those young men can muster.

Plus you never know...that college star of tomorrow might just be there too.