Greer Touchdown Club Extending Its Season This Year

The Greer Touchdown Club is extending its season.

The club, which meets each Thursday at Greer First Baptist Church, will hold more meetings this season, according to GTC Board Member Nelson Welch.

“We've heard from you, from our members, can we extend the Greer Touchdown Club?” Welch said at last week's meeting. “Well, guess what – we have extended the Greer Touchdown Club. We're going to go twelve weeks this year. We normally go ten. We usually cut it off at Big Thursday, but we're going to extend it through the playoffs. We encourage you to come out and visit us each week.”

This week's speaker is Jason Gilmer, the author of the new book, Where Champions Play: Spartanburg County Prep Football.

Spartanburg County's nine public high schools have won more state championships since 1950 than any other county in South Carolina.

Gilmer's book revisits the epic games, the gifted players, and the remarkable coaches who play a part in the decades-long sporting drama.

“He'll be here and he'll have books for sale for $20,” Welch said. “So bring the checkbook and support Jason and buy a book for somebody, or an early Christmas gift.”

Week 3's speaker is Lawton Swann with Clemson SportsTalk. Swann's show airs on Sportsradio 560AM in Columbia.

Southern Conference Commissioner John Iamarino will speak to the club during Week 4.

“If you've noticed lately, the SoCon has had a major facelift,” Welch said. “This will be pretty much the last year of what we know as the SoCon. Georgia Southern's out, App State's out, Elon's out, so he'll have, I'm sure, a lot to talk about, with the newcomers that are coming.”

On September 26, Lee Timms III, Editor of Upstate Gameday Magazine, will speak to the club.

“They're trying to get it into Greenville County,” Welch said. “There might be some businesses here that would want to participate in advertising that. It's a great little quick magazine promoting our youth and our athletics around the area.”

The speaker for Week 6 will be former Byrnes High School Head Football Coach Chris Miller.

Jeff Farrington, the new Head Coach of North Greenville University, will speak at the Week 7 meeting, Welch said.

“A former Greer standout, he went to The Citadel and coached at Furman,” Welch said.

Bobby James, the new football coach at Limestone College, will speak during Week 8.

Week 9's speaker is to be determined.

In Week 10, Kevin McCrarey with the SportsTalk Radio Network will speak to the club.

“I'm sure he'll bring some SEC and the Gamecocks to our meeting,” Welch said.

Week 11 and Week 12's speakers have yet to be determined, Welch said.