Jonathan Bridges, "Raiders of Yesteryear"

By Dallas Bordon

Jonathan Bridges

Jonathan Bridges

Sports Played: 1994-97

Sports played: Football and soccer

Former Red Raider Jonathan Bridges is currently a Physical Education teacher at Rock Quarry Elementary in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and is also the Athletic Director for Rock Quarry Middle School. He is in his 9^th year teaching and first year as Athletic Director. Bridges has also been an assistant and head soccer coach as well as a special teams coach on the varsity level.

He received a Bachelor in Education degree in 2003 from the University of Alabama and later received a Masters in Education degree from West Alabama in 2006. Bridges is married to his wife Kelly of five years and they have one daughter, Isabelle, who is 14 months old.

While at Madison County, Jonathan played football under Coach Scott Conner in 1994 and Dale Smallen in 1995-97. He played soccer under coach Tad Carithers in 1995, Randy Young in 1996 and Sam Rafal in 1997-98. “My football memories would be the fun all the guys had on the teams together and how each had their own identity,” said Bridges who was named All Northeast Georgia Place Kicker in 1996. Bridges also remembers the smell of the grass on Friday nights when the team would break through the banner at the beginning of the game. “Only coaches and people that played can understand that smell,” said Bridges. He also recalls the pride of putting on the Red Raider uniform on Friday nights.

A memory that was less fun for Bridges included practicing in the heat of the summer during the off season.

While playing soccer for the Red Raiders, Bridges recalls being on the first team to make the playoffs in school history after beating North Hall, region champions, in the season finale. Other memories Bridges recalls during his soccer days as a Red Raider included scoring two goals against West Hall his junior year and the heartache of losing to North Hall in the playoffs his senior season. “I remember the heart our team had every year-we were not as talented top to bottom as some of the teams in the region but they hated playing us because we would fight tooth and nail, scraping our ways to victories,” said Bridges.

Also in the list of memories for Bridges was the times spent running hills for Coach Carithers during the freshman year. 

This column was published in the Madison County Journal March issue. To subscribe to the Journal visit www.mainstreetnews.com