T he S ports L edger
MARCH 2023
PAGE 10 www.TheSportsLedger.com
Sports Announcer Recognized For 43 Years at Gadsden State
The schedule is set for Kennesaw State football as the team begins its transition into the FBS and Conference USA next season. The 2023 slate consists of nine total games with five being held inside KSU’s Fifth Third Bank Stadium. The Owls enter 2023 with a new-look offense led by college football coaching veteran and recently hired offensive coordinator, Chris Klenakis. Klenakis coached both Lamar Jackson and Colin Kaepernick who are two of only three players in FBS history to rush for 50 touchdowns and pass for 50 touchdowns in a career. The Kennesaw State defense also debuts a new face as Nathan Burton takes over the defensive coordinator responsibilities. Burton, who holds over 15 years of football coaching experience, arrives to KSU after working at the Power Five level. Head Coach Brian Bohannon and the Owls begin the new season on a Thursday night for the third consecutive year as KSU welcomes the Tusculum Pioneers on Aug. 31. The game will mark another Thursday night under the lights after Owl fans packed the house to enjoy a KSU victory in 2021. In week two, Kennesaw State hits the road for the first time as the team travels up Interstate 75 to face the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC). The Owls and Mocs meet on Sept. 9 with kickoff set for 6:00 p.m. inside Finley Stadium. Despite the close proximity, this will be the first meeting between the two programs in series history. KSU returns home on Sept. 16 to face a Southern Conference opponent for the second-straight week as the team welcomes the Furman Paladins. The matchup is the first since 2016, which saw Kennesaw State earn a 52-42 shootout victory in Greenville, SC. The Owls return two road trips from the 2022 schedule in back-to-back weeks as the team goes to Tennessee Tech (Sept. 23) and Charleston Southern (Sept. 30). KSU was victorious over both teams last season and holds an 8-2 combined record over these two opponents. Fans get to watch two home games during the month of October as Kennesaw State is set for first-time matchups against Tennessee State University (Oct. 7) and Lincoln (CA) University (Oct. 28). In their eight seasons, the Owls have won more games in the month of October than any other month with a 25-4 record. The final road trip of the 2023 season is set for Nov. 4 as Kennesaw State flies to Huntsville, Tex. to square off with future Conference USA opponent, Sam Houston State. The Owls and Bearkats have only met one time in series history, with the matchup being during the 2017 FCS Quarterfinals at Bowers Stadium. Kennesaw State concludes its season when Virginia-Lynchburg comes to Fifth Third Bank Stadium on Nov 11. Under Bohannon, the Owls are 41-7 when playing at home and are 20-6 in the month of November. Kennesaw State 2023 Football Schedule
It is obvious from the moment one meets Bobby Cooper that he is a true Gadsden State Cardinals fan. “Gadsden State is my school, and I love it,” he said. “I feel the way about Gadsden State like Alabama and Auburn graduates feel about their schools. I want Gadsden State to be the best at everything. If we had a tiddlywinks team, I’d want us to win.” Since graduating from Emma Sansom High School in 1968, Cooper has had a connection to Gadsden State Community College. He was a student, an athlete and, for the last 43 years, a public announcer for the Athletics Department. On February 17, Cooper was honored at a Cardinals basketball game for his many years of service at the college. “I had total replacement surgery on my left shoulder in November and I have plans to get the right one replaced as well,” he said. “Rehab takes a lot of my time so I’m not able to announce as much as I used to. I guess it’s time to pass the microphone to someone else.” Gadsden State has been an important part of Cooper’s life since being a member of the Cardinals basketball team in 1969. He was only on the team for a quarter before enlisting in the U.S. Navy. He was assigned to the USS
of prayers being sent to the ‘Big Man’ with my name attached to them.” Cooper was once again making memories with the basketball team. It has been a wonderful experience watching the players grow athletically and academically. He said a lot of great players have come-and-gone at Gadsden State, and one of the best – if not the best – is on the current Cardinal roster. “Kintavious Dozier is a special player,” he said of the current top scorer in Division I men’s basketball for the National Junior College Athletic Association. “He’s probably the best all-around player we’ve ever had. He’s got a lot of talent.” Cooper said he roots for all of the Gadsden State student-athletes on the court and in the classroom. “I like to watch them play but I also like to watch them succeed,” he said. “I want them to get their education and go on to do great things.” He has also enjoyed working with the coaches at Gadsden State, particularly Stan Cook, Ginn and Hal Davidson, all long-time men’s basketball coaches, and Bill Lockridge, renowned baseball coach. “I can’t thank all of the coaches that I’ve worked with enough,” he said. “My time at Gadsden State has been great. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Bobby Cooper, middle, is pictured with Blake Lewis, Gadsden State’s athletic director, and Dr. Kathy Murphy, Gadsden State’s president, during the awards presentation on Bobby Cooper Night. Courtesy of Gadsden State Athletics
both baseball and softball will be reinstated this fall. “I’m excited that Gadsden State is bringing back baseball and softball,” he said. “I really love baseball. That’s my sport. For eight years, I coached Little League baseball. And, for 20 years, I umpired college baseball with my best friend, Ralph Muskett.” In 2011, the grandfather of 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren had to temporarily give up announcing while he battled stage 4 throat cancer. As soon as he was cancer-free, he returned to the mic. “I’m proof that stage 4 is beatable,” he said. “I had a great doctor and a lot
Bordelon out of Charleston, S.C., and spent time in the Middle East, Cuba and South America. “I had the best job in the military,” he said. “I was the cook. That’s where I learned to cook.” After a year-and-a-half at sea, Cooper returned to Gadsden State, where he played baseball and served as a student assistant coach for two seasons. He also worked for five years as a sports columnist for The Gadsden Times. In 1978, he left Gadsden State as a student to take a job at the steel plant. He needed a full- time job to help support his wife, Yvonne, and their
two children, Bradlie and Patrick. But, he still found a way to be involved in Gadsden State athletics. “I started filling in as the announcer for Ronnie Johnson, who was a Church of Christ pastor and couldn’t call games on Wednesdays because of church services,” he said. “Before long, I took over the announcing, and he filled in for me when I needed him to.” In addition to the basketball games, Cooper started calling Gadsden State baseball games around 1980 and moved onto announcing softball games after the baseball team disbanded in 2011. Last April, the College announced that
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger Etowah's Kaia Reyes battles against Luceana Perez of Chattooga (GA) during a recent soccer game in Attalla.
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Lincoln Young gets ready for a play during a recent tennis match for the Sardis Lions.
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Crossville's Eulalia "Eve" Juan (#18) battles for the ball during a recent game at Boaz. The Lady Lions fell to the Pirates 3-1.
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker