PEACH COUNTY, Ga. — We know how much the players and coaches can impact high school sports, but what about the unsung hero that is just as important that does so without fanfare?
We are introducing you to a segment that highlights our Team 13 MVP.
Football Friday nights on the gridiron can be brutal. At times, things are happening so fast that if you’re not careful, you can become part of the action even if you are on the outside looking in.
Friday night, Sept. 14, 2018, that's exactly what happened to Victor Kulkosky, reporter and photographer for a Fort Valley newspaper. While taking photos at the Mary Persons vs. Peach County game, he was blindsided by a tackle on the field that carried onto the sidelines.
The collision ultimately broke Kulkosky’s hip and broke a rib. After months of rehab, Victor returned to the sidelines after nearly a year of being out of the game.
“I was wondering how it would go when I got here, so this is it. I’m so pumped up to be here, so fire it up, PC,” Kulkosky said.
Kulkosky has been a mainstay with Peach County sports for eight years and covering athletes was not always his beat, but it did not take long for him to see the big picture.
“Football Friday nights were a big experience for me. You just get out on the field and smell the grills and the grass, and the drums are thumping and everybody is screaming and yelling,” Kulkosky said. “Then they tear through that banner, and if that doesn’t get in your blood, you’re probably not human.”
Principal Ken Hartley says Victor is just as much part of the Trojan nation as the coaches, fans, and team, and his energy is felt every football Friday night.
“The stories he creates, he’s at every event in town, he’s a man that wears many hats,” Hartley said.
It’s hard to keep Victor away. After losing his wife, Terri, to illness two years ago, Victor took a break, but bounced back to the black-and-gold.
“There’s something about these kids, the passion they bring to it, they kinda really goes to my heart, being a part of this thing, so as long as I’m able, I don’t know how I can stop doing this,” Kulkosky said.
Kulkosky was also diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, but he is not letting it stop him. He did, however, say he will be more cautious when taking pictures now and in the future, but he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else on Friday nights.
If you know of someone that is a big part of your sporting community that deserves the spotlight, send your nomination to news@13wmaz.com.
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