Coach Spencer Fortson: Building Belief and a Winning Culture at Alcovy High School – Episode 51
In Episode 51 of The Town Square Podcast, hosts Gabriel Stovall and Trey Bailey sit down with Coach Spencer Fortson, head football coach of the Alcovy High School Tigers, for an in-depth, energetic, and inspiring conversation about building a winning football culture in South Newton County. From summer practices that were anything but easy, to a brand-new motto that’s shaping the entire Alcovy football community, Coach Fortson pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to lead a high school football program.
Whether you’re a diehard Tiger fan, a Newton County football follower, or just someone who loves hearing about leadership, culture-building, and community, this episode delivers a game plan worth studying.
From Newton to Alcovy: Coach Fortson’s Journey
Coach Spencer Fortson has been coaching for over 17 years, with experience at multiple levels, including time on staff at Newton High School before becoming Alcovy’s head coach. This year marks his fourth season leading the Tigers—a role that comes with both big challenges and big opportunities.
Since stepping into the program, Fortson has made academic achievement, player accountability, and culture-building his top priorities. One of his proudest stats? Last year’s senior class graduated with an overall 3.12 GPA, up from around 2.2 when he first arrived.
A Challenging Summer of Preparation
The Tigers’ summer was far from routine.
Due to ongoing construction of new facilities at all three Newton County high schools, Alcovy was displaced from its home practice field all summer long. The team practiced at Indian Creek Middle School and Sharp Stadium, constantly adjusting to rain delays and field access challenges.
Coach Fortson’s response? Stay positive, stay moving, and keep building the team’s chemistry. He introduced “Tiger Days” in July—extended practice days with extra team-building activities to reinforce camaraderie and belief.
A Home Field Advantage, Finally
One of the biggest developments for Alcovy—and Newton County football in general—is that each high school will soon have its own home stadium. For Alcovy, which is located 20–25 minutes from Sharp Stadium, this is huge.
“When your home games are a 25-minute drive away, it’s hard to truly feel like it’s your home,” Fortson explains. “Now, with a stadium right in our backyard, our student body can go straight from class to the game. That’s going to change everything.”
This move promises to boost community engagement, create a stronger home-field advantage, and deepen school spirit.
The 2025 Motto: Believe!
Every season, Coach Fortson picks a theme based on the previous year’s lessons. For 2025, the word is BELIEVE.
The idea?
Believe in each other.
Believe in the process.
Believe in the success they can achieve together.
From the players to the coaching staff, student body, and community, Fortson wants everyone to share that belief and live it out every day.
Key Players to Watch
This year’s Tigers bring a mix of seasoned seniors and promising underclassmen:
Kaeden Booker – Senior leader and starter since his freshman year.
Kendrick Henderson – Sophomore standout who plays both receiver and safety.
Kavion Sutton – Senior with versatility at QB, receiver, and DB.
Ayden Goddard – Former starting QB, now a utility player across multiple positions.
Kenneth Trey Bryant – Junior QB stepping into a leadership role.
Up front, the trenches are being rebuilt, but names like Jevontae Jones, Isaiah Clennon, and Justin Heywood will be critical to the team’s success.
Building Beyond the Field
For Coach Fortson, success isn’t just about wins and losses. His program focuses on producing positive young men who will go on to contribute to their community. That means:
Year-round weight training and conditioning.
Academic monitoring and accountability.
In-house recruitment of students who should be playing football.
Involving alumni and community leaders to grow the program’s reach.
The Road Ahead
The Tigers open the season on Thursday at 6 p.m. against Arabia Mountain High School, coached by Fortson’s longtime friend Kenneth Miller. The early part of the schedule is no cakewalk—Alcovy faces Newton, Eastside, and Rockdale before region play begins. But Fortson sees the tough non-region games as the perfect preparation for Region 8-5A competition.
The long-term goal? Make the playoffs, but do it by focusing on one play at a time.
Alcovy Tigers Schedule:
Aug 14 - @ Arabia Mountain
Aug 22 - Newton
Aug 29 - @ Eastside
Sep 5 - Rockdale
Sep 19 - @ Winder Barrow*
Sep 25 - Jackson Co*
Oct 10 - @ Habersham Central*
Oct 17 - Apalachee*
Oct 24 - Clark Central*
Oct 31 - @ Loganville*
Follow Alcovy Tigers Football
Twitter: @AlcovyFootball
Instagram: @AlcovyHighSchoolFB
Facebook: Alcovy High School
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