One is a veteran on the sideline, with far more high school football games in his past than in his future. The other, with four seasons as the top man at a burgeoning power of a football school, is a relative rookie.

Yes, Rocky Mount High football coach B.W. Holt and Tarboro football coach Jeff Craddock are at far different points in their coaching careers, to say the least.

But tonight, they will share a common goal. They both want to prepare their teams for another season, and they both want to put a good show on the field.

Holt and his Gryphons, who were one more good quarter away from playing for a state championship last season, will play host to seven other teams at the inaugural Rocky Mount Football Jamboree, which is scheduled to kick off at 4 p.m. today at the Rocky Mount Sports Complex. If rain or other weather postpones the jamboree, the event will move to 9 a.m. Saturday.

"I just thought this would be a good time to do this," Holt said, "to try to showcase football in this area a little more."

NEW 6 Conference opponents Northern Nash and Wilson Fike will be on the field with Rocky Mount, and more Twin Counties teams might be on the schedule next season. Coaches from Nash Central and Southern Nash have both expressed interest, Holt said.

Craddock and the Vikings will follow a couple of hours later when their annual Tarboro Jamboree kicks off at 6 p.m. at Tarboro High.

Five other teams will travel to Tarboro for the event, including North Edgecombe and SouthWest Edgecombe.

The jamboree provided another challenge during previous seasons for Craddock.

But after four summers of calling coaches, drawing up schedules and taking care of more work behind the scenes than most folks might think goes into a jamboree, Craddock is an old pro at the job.

"The more you do it, the more you know what has to be done," said Craddock, who works with a group of about 20 other people to make certain the event runs smoothly. "Right now, I probably have about one more hour ahead of me to get ready."

Tickets to each jamboree will cost $5.

Matt LaWell can be reached at 407-9952 or mlawell@coxnc.com