Jason Gilmer, author of “Where Champions Play”, is the guest speaker at Thursday’s Greer Touchdown Club meeting at Greer First Baptist.
Gilmer is the former prep editor at the Spartanburg Herald-Journal where he redefined high school sports coverage for a decade in the Upstate. He won state and national awards for his writing and coordination of the high school preseason preview.
Gilmer also can claim to be the only high school sports editor in the country to assemble an all-academic team for every sport, male and female, during the season. That is as much a testament to his professional relationship with high school athletic directors and coaches.
“Where Champions Play” is a historical perspective of Spartanburg County football since 1950 and a contemporary look at how schools remain perennial champions. Gilmer had built quite a library of stories on individuals that have played collegiately and went on to the National Football League. Many continue to make their mark as coaches in high school and college.
The 180-page book will be available ($20) at the TD Club.
Gilmer lives in Boone, N.C., with his wife, Summer, and son, Cato.
Greer Head Coach Will Young and Riverside Head Coach Phil Smith will be among the Greer area high school coaches reviewing their team’s performances last week and Friday night’s games. Both lost their opening-season games – Seneca beat Greer 35-27 and Eastside beat Riverside 13-12 – and their teams play each other Friday at Dooley Field at 7 p.m.
Smith, in his first season at Riverside, is a graduate of Greer High School who played for the 1989 Yellow Jackets state champions. He was an assistant coach for nine years and was an assistant at Dorman High School last year when selected to take over the Warriors program.
The meeting is 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Greer First Baptist at 201 W. Poinsett Street. Memberships are $30 and lunch weekly is $8 for members and $10 for guests. The Clock caters the event.