Reports: Bibb Athletics and Fort Valley State have teamed up to host the first annual Gridiron Classic.

FORT VALLEY, Ga. — Football season is here, and this year, Bibb County Athletics is launching an exciting new event to kick things off.

They’ve teamed up with Fort Valley State University to host the inaugural football showcase, the Gridiron Classic.

Bibb County athletic director Kevin Grooms shared that this idea has been in the works for years.

“I came up with this concept about five to seven years ago while I was the athletic director at Northeast High School,” he explained. “We discussed it, but many teams were in the same region, so we couldn’t implement it as we had hoped.”

After changing roles to district athletic director, Grooms seized the opportunity to introduce the Gridiron Classic at his alma mater.

He emphasized the importance of giving students a chance to play on a collegiate field.

“It’s a rare opportunity for our student-athletes,” Grooms noted. “Only a small percentage go on to play college sports, so having the chance to compete on a collegiate field in high school creates lasting memories. We aim to help them create those priceless moments.”

The event kicks off at 2 p.m. on Friday and continues on Saturday at 12 p.m. at Wildcat Stadium on Fort Valley State’s campus.

Fort Valley head football coach Shawn Gibbs expressed his excitement about hosting the event and the exposure it will bring.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for many to visit our campus,” Gibbs said. “We have a lot to offer, and we’re eager to welcome everyone.”

Grooms pointed out that many Central Georgia schools have ties to FVSU.

“I could go on about the schools involved,” he mentioned. “This is about bringing the fan base and alumni back to Fort Valley for this event.”

All six high schools in Bibb County will participate, along with teams from Central Georgia, including Macon County, Baldwin, Peach, Bleckley, and Perry. Dougherty County from Albany, Georgia, is also making the trip.

Although Grooms could only accommodate 12 teams, he received interest from others wanting to join.

“I had schools from South Georgia reaching out to me about being part of this exciting event,” he said.

Grooms hopes to make the showcase an annual tradition and is already considering adding basketball or track and field in the future.

“We want this to be a sustainable event for both the university and the school system, growing bigger each year,” Grooms stated.

He could hardly contain his excitement as he reflected on the event.

Having planned it for nearly seven years, seeing the coaches and players come together brought him to the brink of tears.

“I wanted to shed tears,” Grooms admitted. “To see a vision that I had six or seven years ago come to life—it’s beyond words.”