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Gilmer Bobcats
The Gilmer Sports Hall of Fame will welcome four new members with an induction ceremony Saturday.
Entering the hall of fame as athletes are Paul Kiker Jr. (Gilmer High Class of 1993) and B.J. Clampitt (2003). Gary Watkins (1971) and Kyle Ray (1985) are this year’s inductees as support personnel.
Kiker lettered in football, basketball, track and tennis. He established track and field records in the 800 and 400 meters, pole vault and high jump and was named MVP. On the gridiron, he was a three-year starter at quarterback and helped the Bobcats to a 20-10 record. He amassed over 1,300 yards both on the ground and through the air and was voted offensive MVP.
On the basketball court, he was named Best Defensive Player, co-MVP and was a member of the Bobcats’ subregion title team.
He went on to become an All-American water skier at Georgia College where he was a slalom national champion. Over the years, he has coached and mentored students through the park and rec football and basketball programs and continues to donate his time and finances to the athletic teams in Gilmer County.
Clampitt was a three-year wrestling letterman. He was a two-time area champion and won the state title at 119 pounds as a senior. He entered 25 tournaments during his GHS career and won 11. He posted a career record of 141-37, and his win total was the school record when he graduated.
Clampitt was named team MVP as a junior and senior and led the team in takedowns his sophomore through senior seasons.
He was an honor graduate and obtained a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Kennesaw State and a master of business administration degree from Mississippi State. He has served as a park and rec basketball coach since 2017 and wrestling coach since 2021.
Watkins has supported athletics in Gilmer County for over 35 years. Utilizing his skills as EMT, fire chief and public safety director, he supported GHS sports as an on-field trainer from 1992-2020. He served on the board of directors for both the TD Club and the Takedown Club.
Watkins also spent many years supporting the park and rec programs by volunteering in many functions. He coached various sports including baseball, basketball and football from 1985-2005. He volunteered as baseball umpire and has spent many years on the park and rec board of directors. He served as the president of local Little League organization in the 1990s.
Ray has served in numerous roles and organizations in support of athletics. He served as vice president and co-president of the GHS Tip-off Club, was secretary of the TD Club and a board member of 515 FCA and Gilmer park and rec.
He was involved with the Gilmer Education Foundation for 24 years and served as its chairman for 21. He helped with park and rec football, baseball and basketball for 20 years.
As a student at GHS, Ray excelled and lettered in football, basketball and baseball. He served as captain of the football and basketball teams as a senior. On the football field, he was the recipient of the Huff-Mosley Award, Best Defensive Back Award and Coaches Award. He went on to Georgia Tech as a preferred walk-on.
Ray also founded and coached North Georgia Summit travel basketball teams that fed GHS basketball players for eight years.
Saturday’s induction ceremony will be held in between the girls and boys varsity games. The girls are scheduled to tipoff at 3 p.m.