A commitment to student athletics has Georgia Northwestern joining the National Junior College Athletic Association this summer. In a signing ceremony held at The R.A.C., Rossville Athletic Complex on July 19, Bobcat Athletics officially made its intentions known to enter the Georgia branch of the NJCAA.
"We are entering our fourth year of athletics at Georgia Northwestern and we see the promise this brings our college and its students," said Stuart Phillips, Vice President of Student Affairs at Georgia Northwestern. "Varsity athletics is a rallying point for community and student life at our campuses. From intramurals to collegiate-level varsity competition, we have seen campus life really blossom to a whole new level."
In November of 2007, Bobcats Men's Head Basketball Coach David Stephenson made a career changing phone call to the Office of Marketing and Public Relations showing interest for the top coaching spot at the college. "We made it all happen in a limited amount of time the first season," said Stephenson. "We've taken a slow growth philosophy over these first three seasons. Right now, administration has asked us to begin working on a seven-year plan." said Stephenson.
This season, Bobcat Men's Basketball and Lady Cats Women's Basketball expect to take part in the initial probationary period of membership with the GJCAA Division III. The next varsity athletic program to begin action will be the Lady Cats Volleyball program this September. Lady Cats Women's Head Coach Tricia Goodwin and her squad will continue varsity athletic participation within the TCSGAA, Technical College System of Georgia.
Lady Cats Basketball enters its first year of action beginning this fall at Georgia Northwestern. Based on the Floyd County Campus, the Lady Cats will see its first official action along with the Bobcats at the TCSGAA Jamboree in Carrollton, Georgia on October 30. Players from across North Georgia and Southeast Tennessee have shown interest and participated in the first leg of tryouts for the historic venture.
"I believe making this move will help give our programs more recognition, especially outside of our region," said Stephenson. "It will also give our student-athletes a chance to possibly play for championships beyond the state of Georgia. This was the next logical step in the growth of Bobcat Athletics."
Georgia Northwestern was established after the merging of Coosa Valley and Northwestern Technical Colleges on July 1, 2009. Both of the previous colleges were among the founding institutions of the TCSGAA. "With around 6,000 students from across this area, this really has made for a tremendous base for this powerful venture," said Jeff King, Provost of Georgia Northwestern. "Since athletics began, we have seen positive changes in community involvement and student interest in the growth of the college. When we all see the college as a center of life, of inspiration, everybody wins."
From the campuses of North Georgia's largest college, the latest athletic puzzle piece to be put in place has been the launch of Intramurals. "We offered volleyball on our campuses this past spring and are currently offering golf for the summer quarter," said David McBurnett, Director of Student Affairs and the coordinator for Intramurals. "This has been one more way in which athletics has caused growth on our campuses."
As for collegiate varsity athletics, Georgia Northwestern, Middle Georgia, Central Georgia, Chattahoochee, West Georgia, and Southern Crescent Technical Colleges will join the 16 colleges currently in the GJCAA. Now, the Bobcat is known for being a solitary animal. However, Georgia Northwestern's Bobcats won't be alone in Georgia's JUCO. East Georgia College in Swainsboro, Georgia is also the Bobcats. The other colleges currently in the GJCAA are Abraham Baldwin, Albany Tech, Andrew, Atlanta Metropolitan, Chattahoochee Tech, Coastal Georgia, Darton, Georgia Military, Georgia Perimeter, Gordon, Middle Georgia, Emory Oxford, South Georgia, South Georgia Tech, and Waycross College.
"Taking a good look at the possibilities over the next seven years can really give us a foundation for the birth of any new athletics which could come our way, as well as planning for new possible athletic facilities, staff, and other needs," said Stephenson.