Backroads and Backfields

It is said in some states, football isn't just sports or a way of life. It's religion. That especially holds true in the state of Georgia - one of the hotbeds for competition regardless of level. High school athletics is big business. It's a way of life. It's a way out. It's a way to a better future. It's a way for small towns to compete against bigger cities in something other than economics. If a town is depressed economically, a high school football team can serve as something to rally around. It gives heroes a chance to return home, and return their alma maters to past glories. And it creates pressures to go with those expectations. Backroads and Backfields puts all of those elements and dynamics together under one cover in a unique look at one of the most popular sports in the southeastern United States.

Jon Nelson has been a television journalist for twenty years based in Atlanta. He was graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Political Science. His television career has given him the opportunity to cover as varied events as Super Bowls, World Series, All-Star Games, Summer Olympiads, the Masters, the US Open, Grey Cups, and even political conventions. He has also covered high school athletics for Georgia Public Broadcasting for thirteen years as a host and correspondent for the high school magazine show, "Prep Sports+"