Cameron leaves Jenkins to take over Vidalia football program

In just three seasons as the head football coach at Jenkins, Jason Cameron turned the program around -- creating one of the most respected teams in the state of Georgia.

His play calling and knowledge of the game are highly regarded, but for Cameron coaching is about much more than wins and losses. His goal is to impact the lives of his players, helping make them better people on and off the field.

So Tuesday was an emotional day on the Jenkins campus as Cameron told his team he was leaving the school to take a job at Vidalia, where he was introduced as the head coach in a press conference on Wednesday, Feb. 12.

Junior quarterback Patrick Blake said it was tough moment for the Warrior players, who have a lot of respect for Cameron for what he has meant to Jenkins and to them personally.

“I was pretty emotional, we’re all going to miss Coach Cam,” said Blake, a key player in the Warriors run to the Class 3A state semifinals this year after winning the Region 3-3A crown. “Coach always preached a blue-collar work ethic to us whether we were in film sessions, practices or games. And he always stressed academics -- he said that was even more important than what we did on the field.”

What the Warriors did on the field under Cameron was unprecedented in school history. Cameron was an offensive coordinator at Jenkins for five seasons, before taking a year off and then being hired to replace coaching veteran Tim Adams for the 2017 season. The Warriors reached the Class 3A state quarterfinals in the first two years under Cameron, and advanced to the Final Four this year for the second time in school history and first time since 1966.

Cameron said a lot of things came into play in his decision to make the move. He replaces Lee Chomskis, who posted a 101-45 record in 13 seasons with the Indians, before leaving to take the head coaching job at Lincoln County.

“There is such a sense of community here at Vidalia and a great football tradition,’’ said Cameron, who had a 33-7 record in his three seasons at Jenkins. ”And the resources they have are unmatched.“

For Cameron, coaching isn’t just about the Xs and Os, but more about the relationships he has with his players -- and that’s what made leaving Jenkins so tough.

“That was the hardest part -- that meeting with the kids telling them I was leaving,” said Cameron, a New Jersey native. “I haven’t felt that way since I told my mom I was moving to Georgia.”

“There were a lot of great wins and moments on the field with our team, but what I’ll remember most were the college signing ceremonies we had with the kids,” Cameron said. “We had 21 kids sign with colleges in the last three years. Ball games come and go, but that kind of stuff lasts forever.”