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A year ago, Troup High senior Tania Blackmon would have never believed you if you told her she would be signing to play flag football in college. Fast forward to Thursday, April 24, and she did just that, putting pen to paper and signing to continue her academic and athletic career just up the road at LaGrange College. 

“The coaches here really pushed me to go far and really made me want to play flag football at the college level,” Blackmon said. “I met the coach about a month ago, and the first day she was really on it and I liked that. She stood on business.”

Blackmon is the first Troup High flag football player to ever sign to play in college. 

The Troup senior has exactly one year of flag football experience. Blackmon decided to join the team on a whim at the start of her senior year, and the rest is history. 

“I was going to be a part of the step team, but once I heard about flag football and that coach (Fred) Bridges was coaching it, I switched up,” Blackmon said. 

“That’s my bro, I love him to death,” she added to unanimous laughter from all in attendance at her signing day. 

Despite playing just a lone season as a flag football player, the team became like a family for Blackmon. 

“I love them,” Blackmon said, pointing to her teammates in the crowd. “I’m sad I’m leaving them, but I will be just around the corner.”

Blackmon will be getting in on the ground floor at LaGrange College. The 2025-26 season will be the inaugural season for the LaGrange College flag football team. Blackmon sees this as a real opportunity to help other flag football players from Troup High reach the next level.

“It’s really exciting because I get to pave the way for more girls here to get recruited by other colleges or even LaGrange College,” Blackmon said. “It’s an honor to help out Troup flag football on the map.”

Blackmon is the true definition of the word athlete. She has lettered as a wrestler and as a member of the track and field team. Despite her senior season of wrestling wrapping earlier this year and the track season winding down, Blackmon still has goals to achieve in each sport. 

“I love wrestling and I’m sad that [LaGrange College] doesn’t have a wrestling team, but I’m still going to do USA wrestling,” she said. “We actually have regionals on Friday for track, so I’m trying to qualify for state.”

With graduation less than a month away for Blackmon, she is counting down the days. Even as she heads to the college ranks, Blackmon will be a Troup Tiger for life. 

“It’s 22 days counting the weekends,” Blackmon said as she shared a laugh with those in attendance on Thursday. “I’m definitely gonna have some Troup Tigers at my game though.”