Upson-Lee head coach Justin Elder had his bye week at the end of September and got to see his daughter on the sidelines as a football cheerleader in Forsyth. 

The bye week was at Mary Persons -- where he played quarterback under legendary coach Dan Pitts (head coach from 1959-1997) and learned under Steve Chafin (1998-2005). He has conversations with the Walker family in a spot where Rodney was head coach (2006-2011) and his son, Chip, has always been good to him. Elder learned his belief system from Coach Pitts and his coaching approach from Chafin. 

And, in that bye week game where Elder multi-tasked, he got a bit of a preview of the big region game this week with the Bulldogs. Talk about a full-circle Football Friday.

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Upson-Lee coach Justin Elder

“One of the first things I do,” he tells me, “...if I have a question about something is ask, ‘What would they do?’ Coach Pitts and Coach Chafin taught me how to treat people and try to be consistent with that every day.”  

And now that Region 2-3A has two undefeated teams (bet you can’t guess who they are...) the Bulldogs head to Thomaston in a battle of two GPB Top-10 teams.

Makes me wonder how many times this week Elder will ask the above question to himself... even if he is in his 18th year at Upson-Lee and seventh as head coach. 

It has been a bit of a tough run for the Knights, which has been more known in recent years as a basketball school. Four of the last five seasons have given the school first-round playoff appearances under Elder but there has been only one double-digit win season in school history -- 31 years ago when the Knights won their only region title and made it to the quarterfinals in Class 4A. 

“We knew the potential with this team was there and we’re young in some positions,” Elder says. “They grew up quickly. Since January, the staff and I have been showing our belief in the kids and they are believing in each other. It’s been fun to see it happen as they’ve bonded.” 

The biggest thing Coach Elder reminded me was that the team had to buy into the weight room experience and what it could yield. They had to change some things, make sure the team was being fed as well as they could, and invest in team-building and character-building. The character education could come from something as quick and simple as a 10-to-15-minute video they would watch together or by eating together as a group consistently. Selflessness, humility, toughness and grit have followed. 

“They had to know they could love and trust in one another around here. They have learned about being happy for the success of others around them. It’s not about ‘how fast can I get what I want?’ They now understand to be a successful team it’s what they have to do.” 

After a 3-0 start, they got a wake-up call in a 42-7 loss to LaGrange. Since then, they’ve had three shutouts and have only given up a total of 23 points. “They whipped us. It woke us up and reminded us that, to beat a good team, we have to play a full 48 minutes.  

“But you look at what Peach County did to Carver-Atlanta and, then, Carver-Atlanta whipped up on LaGrange. So, you see how things are going around here with all our teams.” 

Elder admits they grew up as a team after the loss and didn’t drop their collective chins -- which could have happened. They knew their competition would be better each week in region play and they could learn a week at a time. He also knows to get to the level of a Mary Persons there’s some growth they must do all over again.  

For those of you that don’t know, Thomaston lost around 3,500 jobs in the 1980’s and 1990’s when mills shut down. It’s a very blue-collar town and what Coach Elder and his staff have been doing this season is setting and changing the culture where the players understand that they have to come to work every day for what they want to accomplish. It’s not just there for you. 

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​ Caption Ja'Quan Bentley is one of Upson-Lee's reliable seniors.

Credit: John Brown, Upson Beacon

“In the 18 years I have been here,” he admits, “there have been some good teams come through the program. And I think we here at Upson-Lee can show what athletics could impart on a community as we go.” 

Elder knows that team he scouted a few Fridays ago against Prince Avenue Christian (while watching his daughter cheer) has a lot of speed and balance on offense. He knows the defensive front is as good as teams he’s already played. He’s still searching for any weaknesses he can find by Friday and he’ll have his hands full.    

But there’s going to be tests as you grow as a program... 

This is another one for Justin Elder and Upson-Lee as they try to set those new markers for success in the future. It just so happens to be against his past in his present... 

And we’ll be watching as they take those steps in Thomaston... 

Play it safe, everyone... I’ll talk to you soon...