The Mattson-Parrish Lady Bear Invitational has been renamed in recent years, but the showcase golf event for young women has only increased in popularity. Pierce County High head girls coach Erica Grady, the current tournament director, has witnessed the growth of this event from unique points of view. She first competed as a prep linkster at Ware County High School in the early 2000s. Now in her third year as head coach at PCHS, Grady works passionately to ensure the event lives up to the standards of those for whom it is named.
“Mary Brantley Mattson was a longtime community servant by being a member of Lakeview Golf Club, offering lessons to juniors, and being a loyal supporter of Pierce County High School athletics,” Grady said. “Mrs. Mattson will always be remembered as an influential icon to this community. The ‘Parrish’ in the name was derived from Mrs. Libby Parrish of Blackshear. Mrs. Libby was the mother of Bailey and Ansley Parrish. Ansley played varsity golf at PCHS for Coach Maureen Brown in the 2000s (a stint that included a state title in 2005) and was beloved by all in the community because of her devoted spirit to the game of golf and to Pierce County High School.”
The 2016 Mattson-Parrish Lady Bear Invitational was held on Monday, April 11 at Lakeview Golf Club in Blackshear. The event featured nine teams from seven schools (Glynn Academy and Vidalia each entered two teams) in a competition true to the spirit of its founders. Glynn Academy, last year’s runner-up, dethroned 3-time defending tournament champion Vidalia “A” in a four-stroke victory.
Julianna Collett, representing that victorious Glynn Academy “A” team, carded a nine-hole score of 36 to capture low medalist honors.
Vidalia “A” (128) finished second, followed by Ware County (129), Pierce County (141), Valdosta (149), Camden County (149), Brantley County (153), Glynn Academy “B” (164), and Vidalia “B” (170).
“In years past, the Lady Bear Invitational was known only as the ‘Mary Brantley Mattson Lady Bear Invitational,’ so named by Coach Brown,” Grady said. “During this time several future SEC golfers competed in this event like Glynn Academy’s Garrett Phillips (Georgia), Bacon County’s Ashley Medders (Arkansas), and Valdosta’s Dori Carter (Ole Miss).”
Grady, the former Erica Still, also competed in the event for Ware County before embarking on a four-year career at Kentucky. Grady took over the girls’ program at PCHS in 2014.
“We wanted to remind people in the community just how much these women and the girls golf program are influential in the community,” Grady said.
Glynn Academy golfers also used the occasion to honor teammate Ansley Jones, who is battling leukemia for the second time and has been unable to compete in recent months. Each golfer in the field wore an orange ribbon on their hat, clothing, or golf bag honoring Jones. Glynn competitors also sported the “#BLX” logo, which means “beat leukemia twice.”
“Ansley played for us as an eighth-grader; she had a relapse after the Super Bowl,” Glynn Academy coach John Bennett said. “She said she would be sidelined 100 days and she is on Day 46. (as of April 11). She had good news the last day or two and is being transferred to the Ronald McDonald House. It seems she has the bad stuff behind her.”
Despite her team’s fourth-place finish, Grady was pleased with the success of the event overall.
“My girls look forward to this tournament every year and each year the parents and I come up with bigger and better ideas for this tournament and it keeps growing,” Grady said. “I cannot express how deeply devoted I am to this tournament and to this team. We have the best support from the community in Blackshear and from our administrators and faculty. Thanks to this support and for the food provided by Texas Roadhouse in Valdosta, everyone loves coming to this tournament to acknowledge two wonderful people from this community.”
Grady also heartily acknowledged special contributions of support from Mrs. June Bennett, Pierce County superintendent Terri DeLoach, former superintendent Dr. Joy Williams, PCHS Principal Dara Bennett, PCHS athletic director Sean Pender, the parents of the PCHS girls golf team members, and their families and friends.
Bonus /Southeast/May 2016
Lady Bears Invitational
Pierce County High School
Blackshear, Georgia
Story by John DuPont
Photography by PCHS
Mattson-Parrish Lady Bear Invitational Honors Namesakes
