Tindall signs to play football with Guilford

Published 4:00 pm Friday, March 18, 2022

TIFTON — Friday was a day of double happiness for Tift County football player Bernard Tindall. He signed to play with Guilford College (N.C.) and also celebrated his 18th birthday.

Tindall thanked the large crowd in attendance. He told his teammates he loved them and hoped they had even more success in the future.

“He kept showing up,” said Noel Dean, head coach of the Blue Devils, adding that plenty of colleges from Michigan were also interested in landing Tindall. “Guilford is lucky to have him and they know that,” Dean said.

Guilford, nicknamed the Quakers, is located in Greensboro.

Dean praised his dedication further. “I could stand side-by-side with Mr. Bernard Tindall the rest of my life, knowing the effort that he gave.”

Defensive coordinator Mike West spoke of the challenges for young athletes in recent years, from COVID-19 and also the recent NIL (name, image and likeness) deal for the NCAA, which allows athletes to earn money from their names in college, and how both have affected recruiting. West said coaches here worked hard to find colleges for their players.

West called Tindall “very special” and that extended to “every coach here, every teacher here.” A number of teachers attended Tindall’s ceremony in the media center.

He said Tindall loves football, that if he had to, “All his hard work has paid off,” said West.

Size was Tindall’s only limitation, said West, in being recruited by bigger colleges. “Pound for pound, he’s probably the best football player I ever coached,” he said.

As important as football, West and Dean spoke of the educational opportunity Tindall is earning.

After signing, Tindall was presented with a birthday cake, complete with 18 candles, as the crowd sang “Happy Birthday” to him. Besides football, Tindall has also been a track standout for the Blue Devils.