JUCO Football Featured in Weekly Show

JACKSON, Miss. — The Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) and Stockyard Productions, LLC (www.jucoweekly.org) have partnered with Mississippi Public Broadcasting to televise a 30-minute weekly football program titled “Inside Mississippi JUCO Football,” spotlighting Mississippi Community and Junior College Football.

“Inside Mississippi JUCO Football” will televise 12 30-minute programs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. beginning September 4, 2013 and concluding December 4, 2013.

“To team with Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB) provides a tremendous opportunity, as it allows access to a statewide audience,” said Mike Frazer, JUCO Weekly president. “MPB has built an impeccable reputation with the public and the corporate community over its many years of service and we are very excited about this partnership.”

Frazer added, “The MACJC has a rich reputation and tradition both throughout the Magnolia State and across the country. ‘Inside Mississippi JUCO Football’ will showcase the MACJC’s talented athletes, renowned coaches (past and present) and each of the distinguished institutions that have proven to be recognition-worthy over the many years.”

Frazer said the impact the MACJC has on senior colleges and universities and professional sports is “well documented” and has left an “indelible mark.”

“‘Inside Mississippi JUCO Football’ is designed to spotlight the MACJC’s athletic superiority, the league’s academic prowess, and highlight the MACJC’s profound economic impact to Mississippi,” he stated.

The show will be taped primarily on the community and junior college campuses across the state. The show will feature “Game of the Week” highlights in which each college will be featured at least once, complete with player and coaches interviews, a league-wide scoreboard, standings, player and team statistics and rankings, league headlines, game action photos from around the MACJC, and recruiting reports on current MACJC student athletes. Another feature on the show will be the “Community College Spotlight,” which will focus on the many educational and professional job training courses that each of the community and junior colleges provide for students.

“Mississippi community and junior colleges are affordable, they are close to home wherever a person lives, and they teach job skills. That’s one of the important messages we want to continue to make aware to the public. People can attend any one of the 15 community and junior colleges in the state to improve their job skill set and make themselves more valuable to the Mississippi market,” Frazer said.

MACJC Director of Athletics and Activities Jim Southward is pleased to see the MACJC make the move to television. “We hope that people across the State of Mississippi will tune in and see how outstanding and competitive Mississippi community and junior college football is and what tremendous programs our colleges offer in the academic fields, technical and career programs, and in workforce training.

“Inside Mississippi JUCO Football” in-studio host will be Travis Recek of both FOX40 Sports and WLBT Sports in Jackson. Recek has reported on multiple MACJC athletic stories and MACJC student athletes during his work in the Mississippi market.

The show will also feature a “Where Did They Go” segment showcasing former MACJC student athletes who continued their athletic careers on the senior college, university and professional levels.

“Mississippi’s community and junior colleges have produced some of the state’s most talented athletes,” said MPB Executive Director Ronnie Agnew. “We are proud to be able to showcase the talented young people who play at this level.”

In addition to viewing the program on the MPB station, “Inside Mississippi JUCO Football” will be linked to the www.jucoweekly.org website for viewing.

The www.jucoweekly.org website is entering its fourth season at providing in-depth coverage of Mississippi community and junior college athletics. To view live football scores, game stats, headline news, videos, game action photos, team schedules, team rosters and more, visit www.jucoweekly.org.

“Inside Mississippi JUCO Football” 2013 Television Schedule (10 p.m. Wednesdays):

Episode One: #8 East MS CC @ Pearl River CC……………………………………. September 4

Episode Two: East Central CC@ #8 East MS CC…………………………………. September 11

Episode Three: Pearl River CC @ Jones County JC………………………………. September 18

Episode Four: Jones County JC @ #1 MS Gulf Coast CC………………………. September 25

Episode Five: Northwest MS CC @ #16 Itawamba CC………………………………… October 2

Episode Six: Coahoma CC @ Northeast MS CC…………………………………………. October 9

Episode Seven: MS Delta CC @ East Central CC……………………………………… October 16

Episode Eight: Holmes CC @ #15 Hinds CC……………………………………………. October 23

Episode Nine: Southwest MS CC @ #9 Copiah Lincoln CC……………………….. October 30

Episode Ten: Playoffs Edition………………………………………………………………. November 6

Episode Eleven: State Championship Game Edition……………………………… November 13

Episode Twelve: MACJC All-Star Game and

Mississippi Bowl Special Edition…………………………………………………………… December 4

(Rankings source: National Junior College Athletic Association national preseason football poll released August 13, 2013. *Episode team matchups were determined by the MACJC Sports Information Directors during the June 2013 SID Conference held in Jackson.)