As Bethlehem Christian Academy continues to see its athletic department grow, one of the next steps will be for the school’s football’s program to compete at the varsity level.
The Knights are set to take that step this fall as they will compete in Region 1-A of the Georgia Independent Schools Association and play a full varsity schedule. BCA played six games in 2011 as a prelude to this upcoming season.
“Our oldest player was in the tenth grade,” said Knights coach Don Harmon. “We played against one homeschool team who had players more our age and we won that contest. With no juniors and seniors last year it was hard to compete.”
School officials debated whether to take the full step into varsity football play for 2012, but athletic director Mark Barth decided to go ahead with the next step for the football program.
“It’s mainly about having the numbers for football,” Barth said. “That’s what concerned me more than anything.”
Garmon said when the program has 17 players and some become injured or are out of action sick, it becomes tough to be competitive.
“I was impressed with what we were able to do last year,” Garmon said. There are so many kids in the area who want and need a place to play. We believe they will get there here along with a great education.”
The Knights held an abbreviated spring practice recently as several team members were still involved with baseball. The team worked on drills and charting speed and strength on the opening day. The players then went full contact on day two and wrapped spring up with special teams work.
“Football is a sport where you take your lumps,” Garmon said. “In other sports if you have a couple of talented kids then you can compete right away. Even in the GHSA, a 5-A program with 90 kids needs time to adjust to the level they are at. It will be about adjusting to varsity football for us.”
BCA will use a multiple offensive set.
“Other schools may focus on the triple option or the spread option or the veer but we will mix it up,” Garmon said. “We will line up in the I-formation and use some spread as well. We are going to have a good mix of the pass and run.”
Defensively, the Knights will line up in a 3-5.
“I like the variations it offers,” Garmon said. “It is becoming a more popular defense in high school. It helps you when you don’t have a huge defensive line.”
Garmon coached middle school football at Hebron Christian when he was asked about coordinating the rising program at BCA. The first team competed as an 11-12-year-old in the Barrow County Recreation Department and went undefeated. The next season the Knights played at the middle school level and continued to grow into a junior varsity. Building a program from the early age groups is still a process as currently a 9-10-year-old team is competing at the recreation level.
BCA will compete in Region 1-A where Thomas Jefferson has been a perennial power for many seasons.
“This is just a first step for us,” Garmon said of the upcoming season. “We are still growing and are looking to increase our numbers. I think the players are looking foward to playing varsity football. It will be a challenge, but it will also be fun.”
BCA will scrimmage Loganville Christian Aug. 17 on the road before opening the regular season Aug. 31 against Augusta Prep. BCA will play its home games at the old Monroe Area High School stadium in Walton County.
