This week’s guest for our ITG Next Georgia 4 Questions with the Coach spotlight isn’t actually coach, but he might as well be, considering how many he has spoken with over his long career as a sports journalist. Jon Nelson is a sports anchor and senior correspondent with GPB (Georgia Public Broadcasting) who has spent the past two decades in the Atlanta area covering everything from soccer to golf to major league baseball to even the Summer Olympics.
But Jon is perhaps best known for his work with high school football. He appears throughout the GHSA season, providing insight on GPB’s Game of the Week and “Football Fridays in Georgia.” He is undoubtedly the most visible sports personality on GPB Sports. Jon doesn’t slow down in the offseason; that’s when he hits the road for the “Southern Swing,” a segment in which he and a GPB crew ride the highways and backroads of Georgia and visit with coaches across the state. Let’s learn more about Jon Nelson of GPB.
Q. Jon, thank you for joining us this week. Let’s start by asking about your background. While I know it’s not the only thing you have done, have you always covered high school athletics?
A. This, believe it or not, is my 30th year covering high school sports at GPB. I’ve been in network television and local television, so I got the chance to cover World Series, Super Bowls, Grey Cups, the Indy 500, and some other “big-ticket items.” But those jobs were balanced out with high school sports. I’ve been incredibly blessed.
Q. I think most people in Georgia probably equate you with high school football, but you have a strong interest in soccer too, right?
A. Absolutely! With Atlanta United, I get the chance to let everyone know what’s going on in pre-game and halftime at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, as well as work with their second team. Then there’s the work of building the Soccer Down Here morning show and SDH Network. It’s a full slate, for sure.
Q. I am on the record saying that this 2023 high school football season was the most unpredictable and entertaining I have ever witnessed. What is your assessment of this season to date?
A. It’s been crazy! But at the same time, it should show the rest of the country how deep the state is when it comes to quality. I mean, when you have four of the top teams, nationally, knocked out in the 7A quarterfinals, that should tell you a lot. We have classes that are stacked where any number of teams can win, then you have all the upsets. Glad I fill my bracket out with an eraser!
Q. Things will look much different next season with the GHSA reclassification reducing the overall number of classifications from eight classes to seven. Regions will be bigger and tougher across the board. What are your top three most intriguing storylines as you look ahead to next season?
A. How these teams adjust to their new regions and how non-region games are determined. You won’t have to find seven non-region games anymore, but you’ll have to travel, in some cases, in lower classifications. Ask Bowdon and Manchester about that one! I want to see how the new dance partners adjust to having more games in region mean that much more overall, if that makes any sense.
Bonus Q: Where can GPB viewers and other Georgia high school sports fans find Jon Nelson on TV, online and other outlets?
A. @OSGNelson on the 280-character app, Soccer Down Here daily radio (downloadable app as well), and everything GPB Sports. Pick a social media platform and we’re there!
