I am not going to lie, this column has been coming since I have taken this job, but I didn’t know when was the right time. That was until a conversation that ultimately led to this question – what happened to the passion for Hart County Athletics in our community?
Recently I have been a part of different conversations that have all led to the topic of the lack of passion for Hart County Athletics in recent years. The initial conversation that started it all was with a parent who currently has a student within the high school and another parent who has had all three of kids graduate from Hart County. They were having a conversation about how one of them went to a football game and was standing up and cheering. The person sitting behind them asked if they could sit down because they couldn’t see. Eventually, the parent moved to an area where they could stand and cheer. Hearing that conversation reminded me of a column I had written from when I first started at The Hartwell Sun and I named it, “What happened to the Passion?” I never published it. Now with a new season beginning, this column may step on some toes, but I hope it becomes a challenge for our community to restore the passion to support our athletics and truly become #OneHartBeat.
When I first moved to Hartwell back in the summer of 2009, football season was just around the corner as Coach Joby Scroggs was entering his seventh year as the head coach of the Bulldogs. As you drove throughout the city, windows on every building were painted with “Go Dogs” with paw prints surrounding it. On Friday’s, businesses throughout town wore orange and black and closed before five so they could get home in enough time to eat and get to the stadium early. The stands were packed from the east end zone to the west on the home side in Herndon Stadium every Friday night regardless of the opponent. No matter if it was hot or cold, rain or shine, Herndon Stadium was a tough environment to play in. It was because of the fans, the band, the cheerleaders, and the student section being as loud as possible and it was because of the passion that was instilled by those who came before. There was excitement built up around every season no matter what occurred the previous year. I’ll never forget Brady Burgess starting the spike squad for the student section back in 2013 and 2014, and being the loudest student section in Northeast Georgia. I’ll never forget how loud Herndon Stadium got in the 2014 playoff game against Westminster or on the road at Pierce County in the double-overtime win in 2019. I remember when Hart County would have more fans in the visitors section at away games than the home team had on the home side. But it wasn’t just football. I remember when the town shut down to travel to Macon to watch both the boys and girls basketball teams compete in the state championship game in 2019. Baseball games were always packed during Josh Osborne’s tenure, as fans cheered all the way up until the final out. But things have changed.
There’s no paint on any window in town, businesses don’t wear orange and black on Friday’s anymore to support the Dogs, there are so many empty seats at every sporting event I have covered, including what people call the main sports: football, basketball, and baseball. The Arby’s “Welcome to Bulldog Country” sign is no longer there. What bothers me the most is that no one helps the defense on third down on Friday nights, or goes crazy when the ball clears the fence for a homerun, or even chants “defense” to help our basketball teams get a stop. Going to games has become more of a social event than anything else, and to be honest, Hart County has become one of the easier places to play. Why? Because it seems like the majority of our community has lost that passion and the love of cheering on the Dogs. Granted, I exclude some people like some parents of players across all sports and even the “Move the Chains” crew on Friday nights for football.
I reached out to a good friend of mine who played basketball and football for Oconee County just a few years ago, and asked him if Hart County is a tough place to play? His response was, “Hart County was always a fun environment,” he said. “The school did a great job with the orange lights and the jumbotron making it a fun place to play. As far as the fans went however, I never thought of them as electric or passionate. The stadium was never packed or even close that I can remember. As far as crowds that I played against, Hart County was not up there with being the best and loudest.” With how quiet the games have gotten across the board, no one is scared to come to Hartwell and play the Dogs. Now hear me out, I am not saying you have to show up to every single sporting event. But I have seen the blood, sweat, and tears that these student-athletes and coaches have poured into not only their teams, but their community. They have represented Hart County in our region, our state, our country, and across the globe. It is time to fix what has been broken for so long, regardless of records and how you may measure success, we need to show these student-athletes and coaches that we have their backs. We need to show up to games and be loud and proud. We need to instill in the next generation why it is important to support those within your community. We need to show them the support they deserve.
Saying that, here is my challenge for you, Hart County. On Aug. 16, the Dogs will make the 18-mile trip down Elberton Highway to the Granite Bowl to take on their rival Elbert County to begin the year. I spoke with the Dog Pound student section leaders and they have declared a white out for the Elbert County game. I DARE YOU to fill the Granite Bowl in white and cheer on the Dogs from the moment they run through the banner until the final whistle. Regardless of the outcome, continue to support the football team for the remainder of the year. Take some time out of the week and go enjoy a softball game, a volleyball match, a cross country meet, or a competition cheer meet. During the winter go support both girls and boys basketball and wrestling. Then in the spring, support the baseball team, the boys and girls tennis teams, the boys and girls soccer teams, the boys and girls golf teams, and the track team. When you do, be loud and be proud. That goes for the fans, the band, the student section, the parents of students, and yes, even the players. It’s time to truly restore our passion for Hart County Athletics and truly become #OneHartBeat. I’ll see you in Elberton on Aug. 16, and I DARE YOU to prove this column wrong.