South Georgia Warriors prepare for ninth season

Published 11:05 am Wednesday, June 18, 2014

The South Georgia Warriors, a semi-pro football team with roots in Thomasville, are moving their home games to the Bill Reynolds Sports Park for their 2014 summer season.

Head coach Gemika Ivey couldn’t be more excited the new location.

“We’ve been trying to come to Bainbridge for the last three years,” Ivey said. “We spoke to (Bainbridge Leisure Service) and they said we could use those fields.”

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Bainbridge Leisure Service Director Joey Lee said having adult athletics playing at the park during a quieter season is great for the community.

“It’s a good opportunity to have stuff going down there,” Lee said. “In the middle of the summer we don’t generally have a lot going on. That makes the ball fields get used and we’re creating revenue.”

The team currently has a roster of 48 players, all 18 and older. Ivey said they are still looking for more players to join the team.

“You can jump on anytime,” Ivey said. “We never push anyone away.”

However, equipment is becoming limited, Ivey noted, and the sooner players join the better. Player’s dues are $150 and all players will be furnished with helmets, shoulder pads, jerseys and other necessary equipment.

The Sough Georgia Warriors were originally called the Thomasville Trotters. After shutting down due to financial issues in 2006, Ivey took over the team and has led them to two league championships, one in 2008 and the other in 2009. In 2010, Ivey coached the team to a National Championship win.

Ivey said he was always on the lookouts for players who were coached by former Bainbridge High School and Thomas County Central coach Ed Pilcher. As a former player under Pilcher, most of Ivey’s schemes and philosophies came from him.

“We’re looking for other players like us because we all played under the same schemes,” Ivey said.