South Forsyth High presented its annual football banquet Sunday night in the ballroom at Lanier Tech, and several things were very familiar. The event was decorated by Cindy Watkins and Tracy Smith and Lisa Missos and a host of football moms. The ballroom at Lanier Tech sparkled in response, with a terrific display of the Seniors on individual stands. The rest of the team took a few minutes to sign off in the guest books for each one. Thus with the dinner it made for a constant flurry of activity. It was catered by Marlow’s Tavern, a neighbor and staunch supporter of South Forsyth and its athletic programs. It was delicious, too, featuring roasted chicken fingers and spaghetti and meatballs. And of course iced tea or lemonade. South Forsyth Touchdown Club President Jay McGilvery opened the evening by welcoming guests and players and their families and coaches and everyone else to the gathering. Then he said he recognized there were a bunch of hungry teens and directed the table order to the service line. After dinner, McGilvery returned to the podium to address the elephant in the room. Coach Troy Morris, who was recently let go as the War Eagles’ Head Football Coach, chose to accept the school’s invitation to host the event. McGilvery said he’s known Morris for a long time. Morris began his career at South with then Head Coach Jeff Arnett 13 years ago. He served as offensive coordinator for ten years before emerging as the obvious choice to replace Arnett upon his retirement in January of 2022. McGilvery said he was sorry about the circumstances but said there’s no finer individual on the planet. His future was very bright whatever he would do. Then, with the introduction, Coach Morris took the stage as the head football coach at South Forsyth High for the last time. The audience rose to their feet, and stayed there with a prolonged show of appreciation. Coach Morris had three sons play for him at South, and helped win some big games in the region and in the playoffs. Beyond football, if there was a big event at the school Coach Morris was there, working the gate or wherever they needed him. The impact he’s had on this community has been immeasureable. But the game comes down to wins and losses, and back to back dismal seasons sealed Coach Morris’ fate. But he stood up there and looked everybody in the eye and said what he told us in every Coaches Corner interview; that he was super proud of these kids, and the commitment and passion and enthusiasm and togetherness they brought to the field every day. Then he turned it over to his assistants. The coaches inroduced the players by class. Freshman Head Coach Jacob Bishop brought up the freshmen. Coach Austin Wilkes brought up the Sophomores. Offensive Coordinnator Heath Hover brought up the Juniors. And Coach Morris brought up the Seniors. He had asked the crowd to hold their applause til the end, but of course the request was ignored. And there was more with the introduction of all-region and all-county players, and the four captains: Seniors AJ Dahl, Harrison Spencer, Mikey Missos, and junior Will Pehrson. The evening finished with Coach Morris imploring the crowd to love each other as Jesus loves them, then matter of factly handed it back to McGilvery. McGilvery did the customary exit instructions: Clean off your table, photographs will be available from Paul Ward Photography at www.paulward.me, please drive safely, and have a happy holidays. Next year was neither acknowleged nor addressed. Families stuck around for ph0t0graphs but Doug, Mike and I left immediately, sensing the inevitability of the moment.
I spoke with Coach Morris before, during, and after the banquet. Before the event on Saturday, he was reserved but open and I kept to my intention: to let him know how I admired him for going out this way. What huge kahunas he showed in doing so. “It’s all for the kids, that’s why I’m doing it. Nobody knows these boys, these Seniors, like I do, and how much we loved them and enjoyed coaching them.” There’s Coach in a nutshell. I asked if he would do one more Coaches Corner with us and he said he would think about it.
At the banquet, Coach stopped by our table to say hi to me personally, then greeted and thanked the rest of our table; Doug and Mike and tireless game day assistant Kevin Bonner, as well as Cindy Watkins and her husband Tony, who looks like he could still play. (And he’s a Michigan Man! Go Blue!). And it was rounded out by SFTDC board member Tracy Smith and her husband Doug. Coach spent a few minutes, then moved on. He stopped by evety table like this, smiling all the while. In his opening thank yous he was kind enough to thank Forsyth Sports 365 for our support. The thank you should go to nim. He and I practically invented the Coaches Corner with his generous giving of his time. It’s for the kids, he would tell me.
In our final conversation on Monday, I told him what a great job he did, and I wasted no time getting the question out of the way. Did you think about it? And will you do the interview. He declined and said you can tell people one thing. That this is in God’s hands. I reminded him that God gave us free will and wants us to glorify him with our choices. Remember the story, I told him, of the man stuck on his roof as the flood waters rose. He prayed and God assured him he would save him. Soon a couple of firemen on a raft floated by. Come with us, they shouted. No thanks, he replied. God is going to save me. A half hour later, a man in a rowboat came paddling up. Hop in he said. No, thank you, God is going to save me. Thirty minutes later a helicopter arrived over his roof. We’ll drop you a rope. Grab on and we’ll haul you to safety. No thank you, shouted rthe man. God said he is going to save me. A half hour later the flood waters crested the roof and the man was swept away and drowned. At the Pearly Gates St Peter welcomed him with a quizzical look and directed him to the throne. Now before God, the man thanked him and told him there’s no place her’d rather be. “But Father, I do have one question. You said you would save me. As I waited there on the roof, you never arrived. What happened?” God looked at the man with the same expression as St. Peter had, and said, “My son, what happened? Why I sent you a raft, a rowboat and a helicopter and you turned them all down!”
Troy Morris knows his mission s not done, and he wants to be where God wants him. I will pray for wisdom for my friend as the Good Lord sorts out his future. What he wants now is the attention NOT on him, but, like Clint Eastwood in Pale Rider, to ride off into the sunset. Our best wishes are with him.
Above photos coutesy of Lisa Missos. Se complete collection at www.paulward.me.