By: Micahya Costen
The Columbus, GA Sports Council Board plans and organizes various sports events for the community. Its mission is to foster economic development through recruitment and facilitation of local sports and sporting events in Columbus.
The board chairman, Herman Lewis, is a Columbus native who aims to use his position to help the board grow and make a bigger impact.
“My excitement for the board in general as we continue to foster economic development here in the city of Columbus through recruitment and facilitations of local sporting events has just been great,” Lewis said. “..We get a perspective from all of them (the board members and staff) and their lenses and what they actually see for Columbus and desire to see through sporting events.”
Lewis developed his love for sports early in the community, participating in multiple sports as he grew up. He competed in basketball, track & field, and football. After graduating from Carver High School in 1994, he earned a football scholarship to play as a running back at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
From an early age, he dreamed of playing in the NFL like many young athletes. However, he later realized that achieving this dream might not be possible due to the limited spots and competition from other talented individuals. It was then that he knew that he had to come up with a backup plan as he finished college.
“I had no idea what I really wanted to do coming out of college. My eyes were set on playing in the NFL,” Lewis said. “When things didn’t go the way I wanted them to, that kind of led me to other options and avenues in getting into what I would say corporate America.”
Lewis had former teammates who shared his dream of becoming a professional athlete. He explained that as kids, they idolized the professionals they saw on TV and aspired to be like them. However, he realized that there are only so many spots on a team and that there’s nothing wrong with realizing when that sport has served its purpose in your life.
Lewis had the opportunity to play for the Canadian Football League (CFL) but turned it down after putting the long proximity and unknown outcome into perspective. Upon returning home to Columbus, the banking industry found him, and he worked for four different banks for over 20 years.
Now, as Chairman of the sports council, Lewis is also a collegiate and high school football official who stays close to the game he loves.
“The spirit of the game, and what it meant to me never went away. I still have that to this day. I’m probably one of the biggest fans you’ll ever meet,” Lewis said.
He’s passionate about inspiring young people, athletes or not, to reach beyond their imagination and realize that opportunities are limitless. Lewis emphasizes that athletic success doesn’t always lead directly to a professional career. Education plays a crucial role in shaping their future and taking ownership of their aspirations.
“Things don’t always go the way you want them to go, especially from a professional sports standpoint, so you always have to prepare for plan B and, sometimes, plan C and D,” Lewis said…“I’m a firm believer that with the youth, what they see is ultimately what they’ll be. If they see positivity and have mentors in their life, they probably have one of the best road maps they possibly can have, outside of their parents.”
As a board member, Lewis’s day-to-day activities vary depending on the community’s sporting events. He aims to attend most of these events to show support for both the staff and the community. He believes his presence as a familiar face among the members carries significant value.
“I feel like it’s very important for me as chairman and the board to show up just as well. When they’re (the staff) doing all the work, for us to show up and say thank you and be appreciative goes a long way,” Lewis said.
While Lewis doesn’t have a favorite sporting event to host, he notes that softball is popular in the community. They frequently host softball events at the South Commons softball complex, providing opportunities to showcase Columbus in that stadium. Additionally, soccer and pickleball are also growing in popularity in the city.
“There’s so much room for growth, with the excitement of pickleball itself, that we’re going to eventually get there and have opportunities to host pickleball tournaments and things of that nature,” Lewis said.
Lewis sees the sports council as diverse in its sports and community development approach. With the goal of fostering growth and development through sports in mind, they are successfully accomplishing their mission and aim to expand their opportunities further.
Columbus holds significant meaning for Lewis, so he stays involved in the community. He believes in taking action to make things happen if you want to see change occur.
“If we get involved as individuals and as a community, as we collaborate and bring minds together, the sky’s the limit as to what we can do and see here,” Lewis said. The youth here have opportunities to build themselves and their brand as individuals, and we’re in the position to help them do that.”