10th Annual Pigskin Preview

The Rotary Club of Paulding County hosted its annual Pigskin Preview on August 10 at the Dallas Civic Center. The Rotary Club started the Pigskin Preview to help showcase the high school coaches and players' hard work each day.
The program started with Rotary Club member Ford Thigpen sharing the positive impact that the Rotary has had on the community. Mr. Thigpen stated the Club has raised and given back over $1,500,000 to the Paulding community since 1969. Mr. Thigpen then asked Reverend Johnny McBurrows, Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, to give the invocation. Reverend McBurrows was followed by Jason Freeman, Executive Director of High School Operations. Freeman first introduced the Paulding Board of Education leadership that was present. Freeman then spoke about the positive impact football has had on him and his family. Ford Thigpen came back to the podium to introduce the high school coaches. The coaches were: Don Stark, North Paulding; Van Spence, Paulding County; Jason Nash, South Paulding; Pete Fominaya, Hiram; and Billy Shackleford, East Paulding.
Each Coach first recognized players brought from their respective teams. The coaches then discussed their team’s prospects for the upcoming season. To a man, each coach stated that while they love to win, their first job is to help build good young men.
Mr. Thigpen closed the Preview by thanking the East Paulding Cheerleaders and Band Members that were present, his fellow Rotarians for their servant leadership, and the City of Dallas for providing the Civic Center.

Jason Freeman Coaches Hiram's Pete Fominaya, Paulding County's Van Spence, East Paulding's Billy Shackleford, North Paulding's Don Stark, South Paulding's Jason Nash, and Paulding Rotary's Ford Thigpen.