For years, the Statesboro High School golf program was synonymous with the name Ike Hubbard. Hubbard, a golf coach for ten years with the Blue Devils, helped build the program from the ground up by hosting several fundraising events.
    In order to honor Hubbard’s hard work with Statesboro High, the golf team has decided to host the first Ike Hubbard Blue Devil Shootout fundraising event.
    The school has thrown several fundraising events for the team in the past, but for the first time the annual event will bear Hubbard’s name.
    “He basically set up the foundation for Statesboro High School’s golf program,” said Sam Rodgers, the current two-year head coach for SHS golf. “He would raise several thousand dollars a year. I’ve always tried to keep in touch with him. Someone young like me, I use what he did as a standard.”
    This year’s fundraising event will be held at Forest Heights Country Club on July 27 at 1 p.m. Rodgers said naming the fundraiser the Ike Hubbard Blue Devil Shootout was the perfect tribute to one of the golf program’s biggest supporters.
    “When I took over a few years ago I was always told, ‘just do what Ike did,’” Rogers said. “We’ve had a lot of support so far...we have about 20 sponsors.”
    Rogers will meet with Hubbard in order to go over how many willing participants will compete in this year’s shootout. Rogers said the shootout is a highly-competitive event, but also offers plenty of camaraderie and fun.
    The format for the shootout will be a four-player scramble. The fee to play is $85 for non-FHCC members and $65 for members. The fee also includes a dinner on July 23 at Thompson Pavilion.
    “Everyone gets to hang out and spend time together. Hopefully, we can get a lot of Statesboro High School alumni to participate. We hope they can come back and have a good time,” Rogers said.
    For the SHS golf team, the Blue Devils boys and girls squad are coming off a disappointing season. Both the boys and girls team finished fifth in region — just one slot shy of advancing to the sectional competition.
    The proceeds from the fundraiser will go towards helping the golf program.
    “It’s a close group. Most of the kids have been together for a long time,” Rogers said. “It’s a close group of 11 kids and it kind of forces them to be close. We always travel together. We’re with each other every day. We have a lot of good kids. They’re not just successful on the course, but  in the classroom.”
    This year the boys team will have two returning seniors in Georje Lewis and Brendarious Lee. The girls team will bring back senior Emily Olsson.
    The golf program stays active in the summer, holding various workouts. Rogers said plenty of hard work and effort goes into having a successful year. 
    “People think you just walk up and down the course but we’re in the gym at least two times a week. These kids put in time and it prevents us from having injuries,” Rogers said.
    Individuals wanting to sign up to participate in the Ike Hubbard Blue Devil Shootout will need to call Walt Garvin at the Forest Heights Country Club, 912-764-3084.

    Horace Holloman may be reached at (912) 489-9408.