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Staff Reports

A little “Sparky Magic” might have been present when the “Sparky Reeves Team” of Kevin Reeves, Brian Simmons, and Stan Gann took home “Red Jackets” and the first-place trophy with a score of 42 in the ninth annual South Georgia Technical College Jets Booster Club Sparky Reeves Golf Classic Tournament held at the Griffin Bell Golf and Conference Center in Americus, Georgia.

    This was the largest tournament ever held with 38 different teams paying to participate.  Stan Gann from the winning team also had a true hole in one on hole six, and SGTC President Dr. John Watford won the closest to the pin award on hole 11. And despite the threat of Hurricane Idalia, the rain held off just long enough for the groups to complete the tournament.

    The Sparky Reeves team had a four-stroke advantage over the second place Randy Nader Team of Randy Nader, Bray Bishop and Corey Stallings who came in second with a 46.  Magnolia Manor finished in third place with a 47.  Their team consisted of Steven Avant, Chad Roland, and Jeff Fussell.

   Kevin L. Reeves, son of SGTC President Emeritus Sparky Reeves, kicked off the tournament and thanked everyone for their thoughts and prayers for his dad who passed away August 2, 2023.  “On behalf of Dad and our entire family, we thank you for your support today and over the past few weeks.  Dad loved South Georgia Technical College and the Jets and Lady Jets intercollegiate athletic teams.  This golf tournament was his way of giving back to the SGTC athletic program,” said Reeves.

   The first tournament was held in 2015 and was planned to honor retiring President Sparky Reeves.  He had been a driving force behind the success of the nationally recognized intercollegiate Jets and Lady Jets basketball program during his 11-year tenure as President of the prestigious two-year institution.  The tournament was named in his honor in recognition of his leadership and support of athletics at South Georgia Technical College.

   And even though Sparky was not physically at the tournament, his spirit, enthusiasm, and love was felt as individuals quoted some of his favorite sayings such as “Big Time,” “Every Day is Special,” and “Sparky Strong.”   In addition to Kevin Reeves and his wife Jenny, Sparky’s wife, Allene Reeves, and their daughter and son-in-law, Mandy and Ryan Young, were all present at the tournament to thank individuals for the support.

   South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford took a few minutes before the tournament began to also “thank everyone for their support of the college and this great tournament.  We all appreciate what Sparky Reeves has done for South Georgia Tech and this community and this is a great way to support and give back to the Jets and Lady Jets basketball teams.”

   Thirty-eight teams signed up for the tournament this year.  The teams who signed up included:  Sparky Reeves Team; Dan Torbert team; Century 21; Tree Toppers, Pineland Communications, Magnolia Manor, Whaley Realty, Lumature Wealth Partners, Parker’s Heating & Air, Sumter EMC, Martha Arrington team; Garland, Williams & Associates, P.C.; Pryor Wealth Management, Perry Brothers Equipment Company; Ginger Starlin State Farm; Georgia Power; Citizen’s Bank; Sumter Broadcasting; GSW Foundation; Perry Brothers Oil Company; SGTC Foundation; Sparky Reeves team; Randal Nadar Team; Kinnebrew Company; Randy Jones team; Stan Trollinger team; Jimmy Windham team; John Werling team; Synovus; Alfa Insurance; Mike Donnelly team; Sam Hunter team; Mitsubishi Electric; George Torbert team; Steven Dowdey team; Scott Hood Heating & Air; Spencer Davis team; and the Dick Robbins team.

   This was the 9^th annual Sparky Reeves Golf Classic Tournament.  The Magnolia Manor team of Ty Kinslow, Steven Avant, and Bradley Kitchens won the tournament in 2022 and the Peterson team of Chandler Studdard, Corey Stallings, and Bray Bishop won the 2021 tournament.  The Synovus team led by Buddy Guth, Jason Evans, and Jodie Hayes won the 2020 tournament and TSG took first place in the 2019 tournament with Brandon Horne, Kory Hobbs and Gatewood Ledbetter.  The Georgia Southwestern State University Foundation was the 2018 tournament champion.  Karl Booker and the Harrod Tree team won in 2017 and 2016 and the Hooks Agency was the winner in the inaugural tournament in 2015.

       Newly named South Georgia Technical College Athletic Director and Lady Jets head coach Jason Carpenter introduced himself to the crowd and also expressed his appreciation for their support.  “We are so appreciative of the support that we receive from each of you and from the community as a whole,” said Coach Carpenter.  “I am humbled to now be a part of this great tradition and the Jets and Lady Jets basketball programs.  This is a great day.”

    The tournament was a three-person scramble which featured a shotgun start, longest drive, and closest to the pin contest in addition to prizes for the top three teams. Dr. John Watford, Jamie Cromer, and Spencer Davis won the prizes for the closest to the pin. Bradley Kitchens won the longest drive.  Greg Maxwell won the Big Screen TV prize, Chris Holloway won a golf bag; Buddy Guth won the raffle for a Fire Pitt and John Werling won a Blackstone Grill.

    In addition to the teams who participated in the tournament, there were a number of hole sponsors that supported the event including:  Georgia Power, Dan Torbert, Janis Webb, Riccardi General Dentistry, Parker’s Heating and Air, GSW Foundation, Barry and Tami Blount, Perry Brothers, Magnolia Manor, Accelerated Physical Therapy, Lumature Wealth Partners, Citizen’s Bank of Americus, Whaley Realty, Clinic Drug Store, Pineland Communications, The Kinnebrew Company, Synovus, Ginger Starlin State Farm, Roman Oven, Sumter Broadcasting,Century 21, The Baldwin Agency, Tree Troppers, William Bailey State Farm, Gatewood Floriest, Sherrell Bailey, Sumter EMC, Garland, Williams & Associates, P.C., Pryor Wealth Management, Chick-Fil-A, Perry Brothers Equipment Company, Buddy & Cherilyn Guth, Cuttin’ Up Salon, The Maze, Carrier Corporation, Randal Nadar, Scott Hood Heating & Air, Steven Dowdey, Gatewood, Skipper, Rambo & Moore, P.C., Alfa Insurance, James Frey and the SGTC Foundation.