|
|
Wes James Wes is starting his 9th year as “The Voice of the Vikings”. Wes joined the Vikings as the football play-by-play man in 2002, the same year that brought Coach McPherson to Lowndes High School. Wes played high school football in Wilmington North Carolina for the New Hanover High “Wildcats,” ironically their cross town rivals were the John T. Hoggard “Vikings”. Wes has spent many years officiating baseball, softball, basketball and football all on the high school level and baseball at the college level. Wes moved to Lowndes County in 1997 where he is employed by Doctors Laboratory. Prior to moving to Lowndes, Wes lived in Athens and worked for Caterpillar Inc. and UGA. While in Athens, Wes was part of the Bulldogs football chain crew and spent many Saturday afternoons “Between the Hedges”. Besides football, Wes can be found broadcasting Lowndes Basketball and Lowndes Baseball with “Wild Bill Osborne” as “The Viking Voice”. In addition to Lowndes football, basketball, and baseball, Wes is starting his 10th season as part of the Valdosta State Blazers Radio Football Broadcast Team. During the 2007 football season Wes became the only broadcaster in Georgia to announce a College National Championship AND a High School State Championship game on the SAME day! That day was Dec. 15, 2007 as Valdosta State won the Division II National Championship in Florence, AL. and the Lowndes High Vikings won their 5th State Championship at Martin Stadium! Wes was able to call the entire game in Florence, AL then boarded a private plane and arived in Valdosta in time to call the first play of the game of the Lowndes State Championship game later that same evening. Keep up with Wes at www.thevikingvoice.com. Bill Osborne This is Bill’s 6th year as the “color” commentator for the Viking Football Radio Broadcast Team. In addition to Football, Bill and Wes formed “The Viking Voice” doing radio broadcasts of the Viking Basketball and Baseball teams. Bill is a 1981 Graduate of Tift County High School where he played football for the late Gene Brodie, ran track, and was on the swim team early in high school. A resident of Lowndes County since 1993, he is currently employed as a Business Banker for Ameris Bank in Valdosta. A long time supporter of Viking Football, Bill started assisting the Public Address Announcer in the press box during home games in 2002 when daughter, Cassie was a Viking Cheer Leader. Cassie is a graduate of Valdosta Technical College and works in the Optometry field. Bill has also served as the PA announcer for the JV and 9th grade Viking Football games and in 2009 accepted the responsibility of "webmaster" for lowndesbaseball.com. Wife Cindy is a Reading & English teacher at Lowndes High School and was also a long-time tennis coach at Hahira Middle School. Son Chip was the starting Long-Snapper for the Vikings football team in 2006 & 2007 having won 3 state Championships in his 4 years as a Lowndes Viking., and now attends Valdosta State University majoring in Physical Grade Education. There is still one more future Viking in the Osborne household, Michaela an 10 year-old 4th grade student at Hahira Elementary School who aspires to be a future Georgia Bridgemen! Bill and Cindy are also proud grandparents of a 3 year old grandson, Camden. Keep up with Bill at www.thevikingvoice.com. Marty Rodgers Marty joined The Viking Voice during the 2008 Viking Football Season as a side-line "analyst" and now assists with The Viking Voice basketball and baseball. Marty is from Valdosta and a 1996 graduate of Lowndes High where he lettered in both football and baseball. Marty graduated from Valdosta State University in 2000 with a degree in business management and is now employed as an agent with Blanton & Griffin Insurance Co in Valdosta. Marty is named after the late A. B. (Sonny) Martin who gave Marty's mother Ann Rodgers her first job teaching in Lowndes County. Marty will continue as side-line reporter in 2009. Additionally Marty is assisting as PA for Lowndes Middle School. Steve Sainz Steve is the Viking football PA announcer and added baseball PA announcer to his resume in 2008. The 2010 footbal season will mark the 4th season as the football PA Announcer for Steve. You can also find Steve assisting with Pine Grove Middle School as their Wednesday and Thursday PA Announcer. In 2009 Steve began working with The Viking Voice doing Basketball play-by-play. In Steve's "real" life he is a commercial loan analyst for Bemiss Citizens Bank in Valdosta Chip Osborne During the 2009 Football season, former Viking and 3 time State Championship holder, Chip Osborne joined The Viking Voice as a Side-Line reporter assisting Marty Rodgers and keeping drive charts for the booth crew. Chip adds a recent players perspective as he is still friends with many of the current Vikings. Chip is now a sophomore at Valdosta State University where he is majoring in Physical Education with a focus on Middle grade education. |