Five Time Packers student baseball manager is reaching the end of her senior season

Apr. 24—MOULTRIE — After five years of being the Colquitt County High School baseball student manager, senior Olivia Morse is forced to close that chapter in her story as the 2022-2023 season completes.

"Something about watching the ball come across the plate and it's a strike on a really good pitch; or, when you watch a double-out play to get that third out needed ... it's so rewarding to watch them [Packers] be rewarded in playing the game and having the plays work," she said when asked what she enjoyed about watching baseball. "I support them more than they know."

As a manager, Morse contributes a lot more to the Packers baseball program than just being one of their biggest cheerleaders, sans the uniform and pom poms.

"My main job is GameChanger," said Morse. "But I do anything needed. Keeping the coaches' book, organizing things, giving water or Tylenol to the boys..." her list went on for a while. They keep her busy.

The US-based technology company, GameChanger, is a website and mobile app she manages for the team, which provides scorekeeping stats, video streaming and game recaps at the local fan level.

Morse started working with the Packers when she was an eighth grader at CA Gray.

"My PE teacher brought up the idea," said Morse. "He talked to the assistant coach, and then the next day I walked into PE and it was like, 'Okay, I'll see you in the spring.' It just springboarded from there."

It didn't take long for the baseball program at Colquitt County High School to decide Morse was someone they didn't want to do without.

"They had asked her to start doing the away games as well," said Tim Morse, Olivia's father. "I was happy for her, and I knew the coaches would take good care of her, but it was still challenging. I mean, that was my 13-14 year-old."

Though daddy Morse had natural apprehensions about sending his young daughter on a bus filled with teenage boys, sometimes 3.5 hours away one-way, he had no desire to quench her thirst for baseball and didn't stomp her excitement.

"Those were the best games," she said when asked about her experience on those long-distance away games. "Everyone gets delusional at 1:30 a.m. and you never know what the boys will say. The relationships grow so much stronger through the laughs and memories."

Though Olivia has cultivated a plethora of relationships because of Packers baseball, this last year will always stand out for her.

"Those seniors are really special to me," she said. "I started with a bunch of them in eighth grade. We would all ride from the middle school to the high school together so we spent a lot more time together.

Without hesitation, Olivia confirmed that those types of relationships are exactly what made the last five years something she would never change.

"It has gotten harder over the years to be so involved with Colquitt County baseball because it's bigger than I ever expected it to be, but those friendships and relations I've built over time are amazing. Friendships are so important. You need those people to help you with life and be there for you."

It's not just the relationship with players that Morse holds so dear. It's also her relationship with her father.

"My dad and I have always had a special relationship," said Olivia." We bonded a lot over baseball when I was little, and there was no doubt about it that I wanted to be involved in the game and watch and grow. There is nothing else like it."

Olivia has never been interested in playing the game, so how did they bond over baseball when she was younger?

By helping her father publish the Georgia Dugout Preview, which now has four different covers depending on region and is available for purchase on social media.

"I started the magazine in 2007," said Tim, a retired sports reporter. "It was my favorite time of the year, and when I got out of the business in 2004. I wanted to still do something to be around the sport and promote the game."

Olivia will help with anything and everything needed for the magazine to support her dad.

"I help with a lot of things," she said. "I do summer work, like typing the questionnaire we send to the coaches. I'm also always there for the cover photos helping set it up and keep it going. My mom and I will mark X's with tape and be like, 'You here, you here.' Honestly though, it's not so much of what's needed but just the love and support needed for dad to do it."

This magazine, which is a year-long project, is released annually.

The Georgia Dugout Preview is a one stop guide to all information needed for high school baseball in Georgia. from the large 7A schools down to 1A Division II to GIAA.

Found in this preview magazine include information such as, previous state championship statistics, preseason 10 top lists for each region and class, players to watch and returning starters.

Olivia has been a part of the Georgia Dugout Preview since she was five.

"When she was really small we had Tim Beckham on the cover," said Tim. "She wasn't really a part of that magazine too much then, but she went to the photoshoot and I remember it pained him because she didn't want anything to do with him. She had just woken up from a nap."

Tim explains how over the years the annual family trip to get the cover photos created a tradition: a unique photo of Olivia.

"In 2010 it was suggested I put her in the picture," said Tim. "I did it for sentimental reasons, and then in 2011 my graphic designer said we should have it look like a cover. So, we would always shoot the covers, and then in the end take a photo with Olivia in the middle."

Tim's office wall is now lined with years of those mock magazine covers and the memories they preserve.

Olivia is preparing for the leap into college, and wants to stay as involved in the magazine as possible, but college is a hectic phase in life, especially since Olivia hopes to continue to be as involved as allowed in baseball programs throughout her collegiate years.

"I don't know how involved I'll be able to be," said Olivia. "I'll do whatever they need me to really. I just want to help out...as far as the magazine, I really want to go to the cover photoshoot. That's important."