TIFTON — The Georgia Firebirds, Tifton’s represenative in the National Independent Football League, will begin play Saturday with a 1 p.m. home game against the Savannah Warriors.
To help fans get ready for that Brodie Field tilt, the Firebirds will be holding a block party Friday night at the Walmart parking lot.
Fans will be able to meet players and cheerleaders, as well as enjoy a live D.J. and food. There will also be team apparel on sale.
The event will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Two Daytona 500 Michael Waltrip ticket packages will be given away at the block party. Those packages include a ticket to this year’s Daytona 500, a chance to participate in a question-and-answer session with Waltrip the morning of the race, a party after the race and an autographed commemorative ticket.
Firebird officials are hoping the party will help get the community involved with the franchise. Georgia's team, as well as others in the NIFL, consists of amateur players hoping to get chances for football scholarships at universities and colleges.
“With the number of high-quality high school teams in our area, there will be a number of players that get overlooked by colleges,” said Brittany McCalla, the Firebirds’ public relations director. “We hope to give those players a chance to get noticed by schools, and therefore get scholarships. This league helps them remain visible in the eyes of college recruiters.”
And while not all of the players may get that chance of going to school on a football scholarshiop, McCalla pointed out, “This gives those players a chance to just go out and have fun and remain competitive.”
A number of players with local ties will take the field Saturday for the Firebirds.
Those players include Brian Brown, Isaac Alford, Lanarius McKinley, Marvin Chaney, Tevin Loyd, Rommy Marrow, Zach Brown, Marcus Daughtry, Richard Scott, Jeffery Searcy, Jason Alford, Jay Billings, Brad McWilliams and Mycheal Eason (Tifton); Kenveyon Newberry and Eddie Spears (Ashburn); Justin Inman (Adel) and Tony Brown (Sylvester).
As a part of Saturday’s festivities, another local performer will sing the national anthem, Tifton’s Kirsten Underwood.
Tickets for the game are $7 for adults and $5 for students, as well as for military that show a valid ID.
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