GHSF Daily is expanding its Four Questions feature this season beyond head coaches to other voices in high school football. Today's interviewee is Chelsea Phillips Tafoya, a host of GPB Sports' "Football Fridays in Georgia." GPB Sports' game of the week tonight is Archer at Parkview in Class AAAAAAA.
Chelsea Phillips Tafoya, host of GPB Sports' 'Football Fridays in Georgia'
1. High school football is among the latest of many things you've done in TV. What's your background in the field? "Television is a doorway to football for me, from watching it on Thanksgiving Day to my current more hands-on approach hosting high school football with Georgia Public Broadcasting. Entertainment and television have been dually inherited in my DNA. My great grandfather, Harold 'Stumpy' Cromer, made his splash as an entertainer for almost a century, and my father, Bart Phillips, is a multi-award-winning executive producer here in Atlanta. I have produced hundreds of shows and segments nationally and internationally on networks like Turner, Nickelodeon, BET, MTV, Netflix and more. With my passion for hosting and sharing unique stories, I've covered red-carpet events and full-broadcast shows that allow me to interview some truly intriguing people - Ludacris, Green Bay Packer Clay Matthews, Earvin 'Magic' Johnson and Marvel's Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, just to name a few. This partnership with Georgia Public Broadcasting has my full gratitude, and the GPB team is genuinely enthusiastic about making great content for children and young adults. I am very proud to host football coverage as well as the PBS KIDS Writers Contest airing on GPB Thanksgiving day at 5 p.m."
2. How did you become involved in GPB high school sports, and what all do you do in your job as it relates to high school football? "I am currently in my fifth year with GPB and am always ready to tackle any possibility to partner on great content. One of the facets of football I enjoy the most is the atmosphere around the sport. I was the social media correspondent last year for championship high school football at the Mercedes-Benz stadium, which led to the opportunity to host this year's 'Football Fridays in Georgia.' We excel in providing a well-rounded peek behind the scenes of lesser publicized aspects of the game, and it sets the stage to get the viewer fully involved in the energy of everything that is happening. I showcase many things, from learning to play xylophone with the marching band to participating in a few odd but fun pregame rituals. I'm always ready for anything when it comes to a good story. Shout out to the Walton High School cheer squad for hoisting me up in a high stunt while I delivered a live open on a 'Friday Nights' football broadcast. The look on our production crew's faces when I did that was priceless."
3. What have been some of your favorite interviews, stories or features that you've done with Georgia high school football? "I absolutely love my fan zone moments. Getting into the stands and chatting with the community is exciting - from fired-up shirtless students painted with large letters in every color of the rainbow, to overly energized mascots, to the proud coaches' wives. I even had a chance to chat with the mayor of Moultrie, Bill McIntosh, who shared his enthusiasm for GPB's great coverage of the festivities. Former Atlanta Falcon Tommy 'T.J.' Jackson, was another great interview as he shared his experiences of being a top high school recruit to Auburn University before he went pro in the NFL. His most intriguing insight came from discussing cultivating a career beyond the pros while still incorporating his passion for football. T.J. is a great example of seizing every opportunity the sport provides."
4. What do you most enjoy about high school football? And what have you learned that perhaps you didn't know or fully appreciate until you got so close to it? "My current involvement with 'Football Fridays in Georgia' has greatly enhanced my appreciation for the entire game atmosphere. As on-air talent tapping into every perspective, we get into the heads of everyone from coaches to players and then into the community. It is a 360-degree look into the culture of football. A bonus of this season has been co-hosting the Facebook LIVE lunch hour 'Countdown to Kickoff' show each Wednesday with Jon Nelson. Our dynamic is a touchdown - to keep it in football terms! The genuine intrigue, admiration and education Jon has to describe all aspects of the sport has been enlightening. He speaks so passionately about every community across Georgia, even diverting my on-the-spot inquiries into who will win Friday night's game by saying 'he loves all his children the same.' This year, each school brought it BIG this season, and our coverage has truly matched their spirit. Check in with me at www.chelseaphillips.tv and on Instagram @TVChelseaP. I'd love to hear your story."
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