Gathering will commemorate 50 years since program’s first varsity season at CCHS

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the first football team to ever play a varsity schedule at Clinton County High School.
The sport of football hasn’t always been a staple in Clinton County. In 1973, Clinton County dressed its first ever varsity football team, having only played a junior varsity schedule the year before.
The program lasted until 1981, when lack of numbers and other factors ultimately became the downfall of the sport.
For 25 years, Clinton County did without the sport, until George Hatcher became the first head coach for Clinton County Football since it had been abolished.
In 2006, Clinton County filled its varsity roster and finished the year with a 4-5 record. Ever since, football has been a solid staple in the community with Head Coach Rocky Tallent leading the way for the past five years.
To commemorate the 50th Anniversary, several players from the teams during the first football run have decided to get together and contact players and family members and invite them to recognition night at Bulldog Field on September 15, when Clinton County will host Jenkins at 7:30 p.m.
“Football here just doesn’t have the history that other sports have,” Tallent said. “I think you have to celebrate those guys, because without those guys, then we  aren’t here.”
One of the former players spearheading the effort is local attorney David Cross, who played football for Clinton County during its first year of action.
“We are inviting and recognizing everybody who had anything to do with Clinton County Football from 1973 to 1981,” Cross said. “Everyone is invited. We are going to recognize every team and every player. We want people who were on the chain gang, cheerleaders, managers … everyone who supported the program.”
Cross said he is a part of a very informal committee which includes Randy Speck, Mike Conner, Bobby Reneau and David “Stud” Williams.
“We have a lot of other people who are supporting us, but we are kind of carrying the ball on this,” Cross said.
According to Cross, football started in Clinton County after three individuals working in the school system started a flag football league.
Cross said David York, Rudy Thomas and Jim Dick started the program and had great success in numbers.
“I think they had three teams,” Cross said. “Coach Dick just loved football and ended up being the assistant coach and knew more about football than probably anybody. Brucie Sloan was on the school board and he leaned on Superintendent Bob Polston, which he didn’t ask much from Bob, and he agreed to start a football program.”
Cross said the school hired Tom Gabler, who was a punter in college for Eastern Kentucky University.
“Bob wouldn’t give his wife a job so he left at the last minute and they hired a guy named Tom Adkinson from Paris,” Cross said. “He knew football pretty good. We won three of our first five games that year and then the wheels kind of came off.”
Cross said getting in touch with former players and coaches has gone well. He said Coach Adkinson is planning on attending the September 15 game.
“He is as excited as can be about coming up from Florida,” Cross said. “While we have gotten in touch with a lot of the players, some of the players have since passed away. It’s unbelievable.”
Other than the reunion on Friday night, Cross is also inviting anyone who will be present to have breakfast Saturday morning at the Munch Box Diner.
“That way if anybody is going to stay the night they can get up in the morning and have breakfast,” Cross said.
With it being almost 17 years since football was reintroduced at CCHS in 2006, former player Conner said the first game that year he couldn’t wait until kickoff.
“My son, Michial, was on the first team back as a varsity sport his senior year,” Conner said. “I’ll just tell you I was so excited I couldn’t sit still at Foothills Academy I was so excited for game time.”
Cross said the resurrection of football in Clinton County made him feel like all the previous years of playing didn’t go to waste.
“We were proud of what we did and we hated to see it die,” Cross said. “We are just proud as can be now.”
Any information on festivities for the September 15 game can be found on Facebook under “CCHS Football, the First Era (1972-1981).
“I think its a great deal to recognize the people who were invested in your program,” Tallent said. “Those are just the things you have to do. I think it’s going to be a great night.”

Many fans were on hand at Bulldog Field Friday night as the Bulldogs hosted Jackson County, Tennessee, for the first game of the 2023 season. It’s has been 50 years since Clinton County started the program with the first varsity team and it is now more popular than ever.  Clinton County lost Friday night’s game, 21-20.