Champion, Battle on board with Pollock

Chris Whitaker

AMERICUS — Kyle Champion and Jonathan Battle will be two of the top players in their class next year as seniors.

Champion was an All-Region selection at tight end and defensive end while Battle’s season ended prematurely with a knee injury.

And after meeting new head coach Michael Pollock and hearing his plans for the program, they can’t wait for spring practice.

“As soon as he started talking, I liked him,” said Champion, referring to the first players meeting with Pollock. “He came across as a winner to me, and that’s the only thing I needed to hear. He talked about winning.”

Pollock held his first meet-and-greet for the players’ parents last week, and his enthusiasm and goals were pretty clear. He’s not in to building a program for down the line; it starts now.

Starting next week, part Pollock’s program will begin as weight training for players who don’t have the class will be Monday and Wednesday, and agility training will be Tuesday and Thursday.

Pollock said this is the plan up to spring practice, with the exception of spring break.

“This is the same weight program we implemented at Washington County and Valdosta, and it won three weightlifting championships (2000, 2007, 2009). It’s as good of one that’s out there.”

Both Champion and Battle have been successful at underclassmen combines that have been held in Atlanta, and Battle was the MVP for his class last summer.

Battle echoed Champion’s comments, saying he can’t wait to hit the field.

“We all seem to like him,” said Battle. “He wants to put the ball in the hands who can score. I totally agree with that. Even if it’s seventh, eighth or ninth-graders, I don’t care as long we score.”

The Panthers struggled to put the ball in the end zone this past season and for the most part over the past four seasons. And even with losing seasons since the consolidation, Pollock has very high expectations.

“You have to set high goals; expectations are high in Americus,” he said. “People have expectations to win, and they don’t really keep that a secret. That’s good. That’s where I want to be and where I want to coach at.”

With Pollock wanting to carry a transparent program that’s open to parents and fans, he holds some priorities that are more important to winning, and that stood out most to Champion.

“He said we should have faith and should help out in the community,” said Champion. “He’s not all about football, but all about the person as a whole. My first impression of him was good, and I’m ready to play now.”

Both Champion and Battle like the plans Pollock has for the offense and defense, and Battle said the Panthers are ready to take the next step, and they are ready to do it immediately.

Moving down to Class 3A next year also helps.

“I believe we have a chance at winning it all,” said Battle. “We’ve got a couple of players coming back, and we all seem to be together. The other classes before us seemed to be separated. The defense and offense he’s running sounds like a winning offense and defense. We all basically agreed with what he’s said, and he’s won us all over.”

Pollock said a big key to success is encouragement.

“More people need to tell these kids to be great, and they can be by working hard,” he said. “I told them to believe this: Hard work beats talent if talent doesn’t work hard.

“There is too much tradition here and too many things are in place to be good in football to just stay down too much longer. I feel like we’ll be able to put the pieces of the puzzle together or I wouldn’t have come here to do that. It’s time to get in there, roll our sleeves up and see if we can’t revive it, reinvigorate it and get the kids believing in themselves.”

Said Champion: “I got to hear (those words) again, and it motivates me real well. I’m waiting for the first day of spring to show what I’m going to do this season. I don’t make any predictions, but I think I will have a good year. Our first game, we’re going to go out and play hard and just show the state Americus-Sumter is back.”

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