Schools

Smyrna Steps Up For Spartans

City businesses and citizens help purchase helmets for Campbell football team.

It will no doubt be a tough challenge for the Spartans Friday night when they travel to Powder Springs to take on the state’s top-ranked AAAAA team in McEachern.

But regardless of the outcome, the Spartans will at least be properly outfitted thanks in part to a collection of Smyrna businesses and private citizens.

Over the course of the previous couple of seasons, a plethora of losses on the field and suspensions off it had left the Campbell program in shambles. When the 2010 season concluded with eight straight losses, just 55 players in 9th through 12th grades were in the program.

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But the school brought in enthusiastic coach Harris Rainbow to revive Campbell football and CHS student-athletes responded. Here in the fourth week of the season, the program has 65 freshmen players, and another 85 sophomore through seniors.

That’s great, but what wasn’t, was a shortage of helmets. Rainbow said that for the first three weeks of preseason drills, players were forced to share helmets.

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“We really were looking for help,’’ Rainbow said. “There’s only so much money that you can get from the county, it’s not the county’s fault. We don’t turn away kids. If they’re academically eligible and will follow the rules, we’re going to find a way to dress them out.’’

So that’s when Rainbow picked up the phone and reached out to Mayor Max Bacon.

“Max said, ‘we’ll figure it out,’ and two days later he called back and said go ahead and make the order for the helmets,’’ Rainbow said.

Bacon got on the phone and began taking $100 pledges from community and business leaders. It didn’t take long for $3,000 to be raised, good enough to purchase 25 new helmets.

“You’ve got folks in the community that either went to Campbell, or have business here or have an interest in the school and the program,’’ Bacon said. “The community has really been of great support. People were very generous even during this tough economy.’’

The City of Smyrna has done its share, too, according to CHS Principal Denise McGee. “It’s a plus for us to have the city behind us, they have been extremely supportive,’’ she said.

Said Rainbow, “The community has been so great and supportive and we all really appreciate that.’’

For Bacon, it was a no-brainer call and an easy sell to members of the Smyrna community.

“Coach Rainbow is a great coach and we’ve got a great principal here,’’ he said. “He’s going to build a great program. It’s going to take some time, but I can tell you it’s a big difference from this year’s team to last.’’

The following is a list of those who made a contribution to buy new football helmets for the Campbell program:

Max Bacon; Joel Powell; Eddie Carter; Barry Woods; Billy Martin; Howard’s Deli/Bobby Martin; Haywood and Marsha Savage; Charlie Lively; Jerry and Barbara Greeson; Vicki and Kevin Mudd; Billy and Jan Edens; Connie Stuart; Danny and Joy Llewallyn; Life Church Smyrna Assembly of God; Fred Carr; Conway Carr; Jimmy and Cindy Smith; Melleny Pritchett; Chris and Teri Anulewicz; Pete and Lillie Wood; Mike and Karleen McNabb; Eric and Jennifer Taylor; Charles and Pamela Collins; Smyrna-Vinings Patch; Fox Sports Grill; Atkins Park Tavern; Zucca’s Bar & Pizzeria; and The Vintage Tavern.

Tonight's Games

Campbell, 0-3, is set to take on top-ranked McEachern, 3-0, tonight at 7:30. It's the first Region 4-AAAAA game for both teams and it will also be homecoming for the Indians, who last year throttled Campbell, 54-15.

It's also homecoming tonight at Whitefield Academy, 1-2. The Wolfpack have dropped two straight since opening the season with 38-13 win over Walker. Tonight, Region 5-A foe Southwest Atlanta Christian, 0-2, pays a visit. The Warriors, who lost 21-6 to Whitefield last year, are just 3-29 in their last three-plus seasons.

Smyrna-Vinings Patch will have video coverage from both of these contests. Lovett, 3-0, is off tonight.


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