2014 Hawks Football Schedule

By Jim O'Hara
 
ROME, Ga. – They spent Saturday morning in front of a camera and that afternoon they spent their time helping others.

Such was the first full day the Shorter Hawks had with each other when the 2014 football team held its annual Picture Day at Barron Stadium and then spread out across Rome and Floyd County in the second annual Hawks Canned Food Drive will benefit local charities.

"We are part of this community and we want to help those who are in need in any way we can," Shorter head coach Phil Jones, who saw 120 players report for the preseason on Friday, said after the team's Community Service Project. "It's a good feeling to do that."

All told, in a short two-hour period, the Hawks collected nearly 5,000 cans thanks to the support of the local residents who in turn were offered free tickets to Shorter's season opener on Thursday, Sept. 4 at Barron Stadium against non-conference foe Paine College.

What left Jones and the coaching staff in awe was how the team accomplished the feat by doing anything they could to achieve their goal.

At one site, a player was found holding a large sign in front of a store waving for those driving by and next to him, a mascot of that store also waving. Inside the costume – another Shorter player who determined to make the drive successful.

In another location, a group of players were asked assist someone to help unload a large truck into a storage container. They gladly accepted, were paid for their efforts and immediately use payment to buy canned goods.

By the time the effort ended, an athletic conference room at the Winthrop-King Centre was turned into a full canned-goods storage room.

If there was ever a way to bring a team closer together to start a season, the Hawks did just that and while it won't be until Monday when they turn their attention to football, Jones saw the seeds being planted by the actions the players did.

"This is a great way to get the team to know each other and that's good for what we want to do when we go on the field," the coach, who has been at the helm of the team that will start its 10^th anniversary season this fall, said. "When we start practice and hold meetings, we pretty much stay into two groups – offense and defense.

"Something like this," Jones said, "gives them the opportunity to know who is who and for the coaches to know who our leaders are."

The Hawks will close out the weekend of getting to know and bond with each other by attending services on Sunday morning at Fellowship Baptist Church – another long-standing tradition the program has done since the inaugural year in 2003 – where they will also be treated to a lunch by the congregation.

On Monday, however, the team turns their attention to football, gathering at Ben Brady Field early in the morning to undergo conditioning tests, and from there on out will hold daily practices over the next two weeks to be ready to take on easily the toughest schedule – all 10 games are against NCAA Division II teams – the program has had.

Now a full NCAA Division II and Gulf South Conference member, the Hawks will open the season against non-conference opponents – Paine, South Atlantic Conference contender Mars Hill and Lone Star Conference power West Texas A&M, a game that will be played on Sept. 20 in the Lone Star Festival Shootout at AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas.

That sets the stage for seven straight GSC showdowns the rest of the way.

"I think we have a good mix," Jones said. "We've brought in new guys who have helped improve our athletic ability and size, and the guys we have back have the right kind of attitude that we need.

"We're in a good spot to begin and get better," he said. "It's early right now, but from what I've seen they are all ready to do what is asked of them."