Alabama’s Best Dove Shoot Ever is Coming September 12
John E. Phillips 08.27.12
On Wednesday, September 12, 2012, one of the greatest dove shoots in the State of Alabama will be held for the fans of the National Championship football team, the University of Alabama. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) at the University of Alabama, will sponsor a charity dove shoot with the guest speaker, Coach Mal Moore, the athletic director at U of A. This dove shoot will be held at Livingston, Ala.’s Sweet Apple Farms, where sportsmen who come to the shoot also can fish in world-class bass ponds or shoot sporting clays the morning of the shoot. The lunch will be a traditional pulled-pork barbeque with all the trimmings.
In years past, the doves have come in to these fields each year like rain to a thirsty earth. Besides the outstanding activities, the food and the fellowship, you’ll have an opportunity to meet and talk with some of the greatest names in Alabama football and U of A’s supporters, including Coach Mal Moore, Coach Joe Kines, Rich Wingo, Steadman Shealy, Bobby Humphrey, Murray Legg, Derrick Oden, Tommy Wilcox, Harry Lee, Keith Pugh, Major Ogilvie, Shon Lee, Wesley Britt and sports artist Daniel Moore.
Bring your cameras to this event you’ll remember for a lifetime. Nationally-renowned sports artist, Daniel Moore will also present each attendee with a commemorative print of his newest oil painting, “Never Again.” U of A’s FCA sponsors many community events each year, including a Black Belt combine and training session for athletes in that part of the state. To learn more and to sign up for the FCA Dove Shoot, click here. Or, if you copy into your browser, and it doesn’t work, you can go to http://www.bamafca.com and click on “Dove Shoot.”
John, the 2008 Crossbow Communicator of the year and the 2007 Legendary Communicator chosen for induction into the National Fresh Water Hall of Fame, is a freelance writer (over 6,000 magazine articles for about 100 magazines and several thousand newspaper columns published), magazine editor, photographer for print media as well as industry catalogues (over 25,000 photos published), lecturer, outdoor consultant, marketing consultant, book author and daily internet content provider with an overview of the outdoors.
Phillips has been a contributor to many national magazines, has been affiliated with 27 radio stations across Alabama serving as their outdoor editor and wrote for a weekly syndicated column, "Alabama Outdoors," for 38-Alabama newspapers for more than 13 years. Phillips was Outdoor Editor for the "Birmingham Post-Herald" for 24 years. Phillips was also the executive editor for "Great Days Outdoors" magazine for 3 years.
The author of almost 30 books on the outdoors, Phillips is a founding member of the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) and an active member of the Southeastern Outdoors Press Association (SEOPA). Phillips also is the owner of Night Hawk Publications, a marketing and publishing firm, and president of Creative Concepts, an outdoor consulting group.
Phillips conducts seminars across the nation at colleges in freelance writing, photography and outdoor education besides teaching courses in how to sell what you write to writers' groups. Phillips received his photography training as a still-lab photo specialist for six years in the Air Force. He was the chief photographer for Mannequins, Inc., a Birmingham modeling agency, for 11 years.
While serving as 2nd Vice President of the Alabama Wildlife Federation, Phillips was in charge of all press releases for the organization as well as serving as Chairman of Alabama's Big Buck Contest, which he founded more than 30 years ago. He also was president of the Alabama Sportsman's Association for three years.
Phillips is the recipient of a Certificate of Merit from the Governor of Alabama and the Department of Conservation for his work in the outdoor field. Phillips is vitally interested in the outdoors and travels the nation collecting personalities, stories and how-to information for his articles and features.
EDUCATION: B.S. degree from the University of West Alabama with a physical education major and a history minor.
EXPERIENCE: 10 years parttime and fulltime physical director for YMCAs and 34 years as a freelance writer, photographer, editor, book author, lecturer and daily-content provider for websites. Currently, Phillips is a field editor for Game and Fish Publications; serves on the editorial board of Grandview Media; is a regular contributor to 12 internet magazines and a daily content provider for 8 websites.
WRITING AWARDS: Runnerup - Best Outdoor Magazine Feature - 1981 - SEOPA; Certificate of Merit - Awarded by Alabama's Governor for writings on conservation; Most Outstanding Sports Writer in Southeast - 1983 & 1984; Best Outdoor Feature in Alabama, 1987 - Alabama Sportswriters' Association 3rd Place; Best Book of the Year - 1989 - SEOPA; 2007 - inducted into the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame as a Legendary Communicator; 2008 - received award naming him 2008 Crossbow Communicator of the Year from the Crossbow Manufacturers' Association; 2009 - GAMMA Honorable Mention for Consumer/Paid Best Essay for July/August 2008 in "Southern Sporting Journal."
