Voice of the Wildcats begins 38th football season

News

Wednesday, 21 August 2024 08:35

If you are looking for WWIC AM1050 radio owner and voice, Greg Bell, on any given Friday afternoon between now and the end of May 2025, chances are you’ll find him behind the microphone, broadcasting Scottsboro football, Scottsboro basketball, Scottsboro softball, or NACC Lady Mustangs softball. “Play ball!” Bell exclaims. This year when the Friday night lights come on, Bell – widely known as the “Voice of the Wildcats” and stat-keeper extraordinaire – will begin his 38th year of broadcasting Scottsboro Wildcat football.
On the Thursday prior to each game, Bell will continue to host his weekly Scottsboro Football Coaches Show. The show is set to return this Thursday, August 22 as Bell begins his 15th year hosting the show.

Bell says, “It’s hard to believe that 2024 marks our 15th year. Some of the freshman on this year’s team probably weren’t even born yet when we started the show.”

Bell says the idea for the weekly coaches show begin with a lunch meeting with Swane Morris, who was hired to coach the Wildcats in 2010. “I remember it like it was yesterday,” Bell said. “We had lunch at Triple R BBQ. He showed me the new, white uniform jerseys for that season. We discussed a live, weekly radio program, and he jumped at the idea.”

The first couple of years, the show was held at the radio station studio. “We had me, Coach Morris, Robbie Copenhaver, Bradley Potter and a board operator. Bradley’s wife, Aubree, would prepare finger foods for everyone, and when the show was finished, we would all sit around, eat and just talk football. It was great,” Bell recalled.

Bell had not yet considered an off-site location for the show until Jefferson’s opened and their management inquired about hosting the show there and inviting fans, players and cheerleaders to attend. “It was a great atmosphere,” he said.

Over the years, the show has been broadcast from WWIC Radio’s studio, Jefferson’s, Margarita’s, KC’s BBQ, and from the annual homecoming bonfire and pep rally. Five different head coaches have been part of the show: Swane Morris, Patrick Nix, Don Jacobs, Cris Bell, and now first year head coach Tyler Vann. Bell says, “Regardless of the location of the show, the name of the head coach, or the color of the helmets and logos, the one constant is everyone’s love for the black and gold of Scottsboro Wildcat football.”

This year’s coaches show will be broadcast live from the Black and Gold room of the Meadows-Morris Field House at Trammell Stadium beginning at 5 p.m. Players, cheerleaders, parents and fans alike are invited to attend the broadcast. “I am excited about working with Coach Vann as the show enters year 15. He is one of the great, young coaches in the high school game, and he will bring a lot to the program,” said Bell.

After the game broadcast each Friday night, listeners will once again be able to tune in to the Clarion Friday Night Football Scoreboard Show on WWIC. The show will feature Karson Treece, Bradley Potter, Scott Matthews and others each week as they discuss scores and talk of both high school and college football.
Fans can listen in on WWIC AM1050 radio, on the app, or at wwicradio.com.