Georgia High School Football’s Super Fan

I was watching highlights on 13 WMAZ Football Friday Night as I usually do when they played a snippet of Tim Wilson.  Wilson was honored for 50 years of attending every single football game at Peach County High School in Fort Valley, Georgia.

I have been a fan of Georgia High School football for 50 years but nothing on the level as Tim Wilson.

According to the report, Wilson has attended 633 consecutive Peach County football games.  Now THAT is a dedicated fan and a rare feat to have accomplished.

Tim’s parents, the late Merrill and Carolyn Wilson, started taking him to Peach County games in 1975, when he was 12 years old. At his first game, the Trojans defeated Carver 43-0.

  

The streak has been challenged by the Georgia heat in September and frostly nights in December.  When the streak reached 200 at a game in Columbus, Georgia, it rained so hard that was ankle-deep on the trip home.  The streak has survived late-night road trips to remote corners of the state, heart-stopping overtime games, hospital visits, controversial officiating, dark parking lots, church revivals and, of course, COVID.

In addition to his football faithfulness, he has kept the scorebook for Peach County basketball teams for the past 40 years. He has worked with developmentally disabled adults at the Kay Center in Fort Valley for 37 years. For the past 36 years, he has led the music program and has also taught Sunday School and served as a deacon.

As a super fan for one of the top football programs in Georgia, the Peach County Trojans have also provided many victories as well as the bitter losses.  The Trojans have won three state championships in 2005, 2006 and 2009.  They have made the playoffs in 38 of his 50 seasons.  He also endured some heartaches such as the 1985 season when the football team had to forfeit their 8-0 record for using an ineligible player and finished the season at 1-9.  In 1990, missing the playoffs with a 9-1 record losing a tie-breaker to Kendrick - their lone loss during the season.  Losing on a failed two point conversion in the 1992 state championship game in 1992 to Thomas County Central.  After all of the heartaches and near misses, it had to be the ultimate experience to witness the Trojans finally break through in 2005 when they won the state championship over Dougherty 35-14.  I can certainly identify with Wilson's journey with a team although I never put together the kind of streak he has.

I also wondered how Wilson compared to anyone nationally.  While Wilson's dedication is noteworthy, there is a 93-year-old man in Antioch, Illinois named Steve Young who has not missed a since game since 1946 and no plans to slow down.

These super fans get my respect.  

Wilson's streak continues this week as his Trojans host Calhoun in the state quarterfinals.