South Georgia - In The Game High School Sports Magazine

As a baby, Josh Abbott was not afraid of anything, and his parents are the first to say so. Why? Abbott’s father is Bryce Abbott, Tift County High School graduate and former middle linebacker for the Florida State University Seminoles… and he might have had something to do with it.

While Abbott’s father was a sophomore at FSU, he was frequented by the presence of many great football players. After being taught how to head-butt by his father and his father’s teammates, Abbott got in trouble at his nursery. “Since his father played so rough with him, I knew he would be a tough football player,” Abbott’s mother explains, “but it has definitely helped him on the football field in the long run.”

While he began participating in baseball, soccer, and flag football, Abbott did not show a lot of interest in sports when he was younger. At ten years old he began his first year of tackle football, and after a running play up the middle, Abbott made his first tackle as a safety- surprising himself and his parents. “Something just clicked,” Abbott explains, but it was not until the seventh grade when he really began enjoying the sport.

At twelve years old Abbott was not given a choice of position due to his weight, but his father saw his linebacker potential. During his first practice as a seventh grader, Abbott completely knocked another player unconscious, scaring the coaches. “He has a big heart, he has just always liked to hit folks,” laughs his father.

The next year, Eighth Street Middle School’s football team beat Coffee County in triple overtime for a championship win, and during that game Abbott took another player’s facemask off during a tackle. That same year, Abbott began lifting weights and always having been a confident player, he was not the slightest bit intimidated by the next year’s daunting task: high school football.

For someone who had not previously shown a real interest in sports, Abbott started the second half of his freshman football season and had over fifty tackles in just a few games. Sophomore year turned out to be a year of impressions, because Abbot caught a lot of other people’s attention with a grand total of 118 tackles. In addition to that number, during the Tift vs. Valdosta game Abbott was named Defensive Player of the Game.

One of Abbott’s most memorable moments stems from a playoff game during his sophomore year against North Gwinnett.  “They [N. Gwinnett] talked about how their quarterback was so good,” explains Abbott, “and their total yardage for the game was only 65 yards!” His other favorite moment, during another playoff game against East Coweta that same year, Abbott hit their running back and made him fumble, leading to a turnover.

Last year, Abbott’s junior season proved to be a struggle when he unfortunately hurt his neck and shoulder during a practice. However, his doctors told him there would be no long term damage, so unlike most players, Abbott got back on the field the next game. “I just hit the weights really hard to get my strength back up,” he says.  He went on to make First Team, All Region.

Abbott has not had any injuries this season, so he continues to work on his speed and weight lifting.  When his number is called, Abbott lives by his father’s advice: “Be fast, be strong, and be dominant.”  Unwilling to let his nerves interfere with his focus, Abbott says he does not let anything faze him and gives the game his all- all of the time.  “This region is crazy,” he explains, “and you have to play your A-game to be noticed.”

Abbott Motto:
Be Fast
Be Stong
Be Dominant

In the seventh grade Abbott could bench press an impressive 200 pounds, and that number has only increased over the past few years. As a freshman, Abbott only weighed 200 pounds but could bench press almost a hundred pounds more than his weight. Physically, Abbott has gotten bigger this year and having been named the strongest player in the weight room overall, he now can power clean 330 pounds.  “I just didn’t want to let anyone outdo me,” he laughs.

Abbott’s workout regimen is not that intense during the season, simply because it “hurts to do too much.” In the off season, though, Abbott lifts weights constantly, as well as doing squats, shrugs for his shoulders, and normal biceps and triceps workouts.

Josh Abbott is definitely on his ‘A-game’, due to the fact that he gives his all, both inside and outside the classroom. Abbott is a role model to all student athletes, not just in Tifton but in South Georgia. If he keeps a positive attitude and continues to strive for success in the years to come, there is no doubt Abbott will realize all of his goals, no matter what they are. •