George Lowe has Falcon pride.
It’s easy to tell the 2004 graduate of Columbus High cares about his alma mater as he stares up at giant pictures of the school’s 1999 state championship girls track and field team and the 2002 state championship boys track and field squad. The pictures are located above the concession stand outside the doors to the Columbus High gym.
Wearing a purple Luther Riley Sills Clinic T-shirt, Lowe points inside the gym to the work Riley is doing with the Columbus High boys basketball team. He is confident Riley is going to force people at Columbus High to do some redecorating to show off their championship wares.
“Those are our only two state championships,” Lowe says, pointing to the pictures. “(Coach Riley) has the passion to get these kids to see we can be all this. This (Riley’s 2015-16 team) is going to be the third (state title team).”
Lowe will be at Columbus High at 6 p.m. Monday to be a part of Purple Madness, the official party and rally to kick off the 2015-16 basketball season. Riley organized the event that will feature a slam dunk contest, a 3-point shootout, live performances, and a special guest disc jockey. The Columbus High cheerleaders also will be on hand, and there will be free Nike giveaways. Admission is $2 for students (ID required) and $4 for adults. Kids 5 and under will be admitted free.
In addition to being a fan at the event, Lowe will help capture the excitement on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at WeAreTheFalcons. Those social media efforts are part of the work he is doing with the Falcon Pride Association, an organization he created to build support and enthusiasm for Columbus High. The former Columbus High football player and track and field athlete lives in Columbus. He moved back to the city from Atlanta several years ago and was surprised by the lack of enthusiasm surrounding Columbus High events. Lowe decided to do something about it and put his branding and marketing experience and his business, Apartment K, a creative agency, to work.
Lowe graduated from Mississippi State with a degree in kinesiology in 2009. He said his goal when he started his efforts for Columbus High was to help organize Columbus High alumni efforts. He said he didn’t know why Columbus High didn’t have an organization like the one is a part of at MSU and set out to build support.
Twelve weeks ago, he met Riley at the coach’s basketball skills camp at Columbus High. He said he was impressed by Riley’s energy and enthusiasm and wanted to help generate excitement for what he believes is going to be a promising future.
“Coach Riley is into it all — branding and marketing and social media,” Lowe said. “We are going to work together for the greater good of the school.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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