FANNIN COUNTY SPORTS HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2023
By Mike Harper
At the ripe old age of 31, Jordan Farmer becomes the youngest member of the Fannin County Sports Hall of Fame. He joins his father Johnny and uncles Gregg and Tony, as a member of the group honoring the best of the best athletes and coaches in the history of Fannin County.
Jordan began his involvement in athletics at West Fannin Elementary School where he played basketball and baseball. He moved on to Fannin County Middle School and played basketball there. Fannin Middle did not have a baseball team so Jordan played for a travel team where he was moved to the catcher spot, a position that he would play for the remainder of his career. Even at this young age, Jordan excelled at both basketball and baseball.
Jordan entered Fannin County High School in the fall of 2007. His father, Johnny was a legend at the school. Johnny was a standout basketball player at West Fannin High School during his playing career and had coached the Fannin County High School girls basketball teams since the 1981-82 season. His girls basketball teams had posted a record of 509-167, including two state championships, during his stewardship. Johnny’s accomplishments would make him a charter member of the Fannin County Sports Hall of Fame. He has also been inducted into the state of Georgia Coaches Hall of Fame. As his son Jordan entered high school, Johnny elected to retire from the girls basketball program and take over the head coaching reins of the boys team.
Jordan made the varsity basketball team as a freshman and started for the Rebels for the following three years. He was a member of the varsity in 2007-2008, the only boys team in Fannin County High School history to advance to the state tournament. He scored 1069 points in three years making him the all-time leading career scorer in team history. He is one of only two players in Fannin hoops history to score more than 1000 career points. He was named as the team Best Offensive Player as a sophomore and Most Valuable Player as a junior and senior. He was elected as team captain for his senior season.
He was named to the All-Region honorable mention team as a sophomore and to the All-Region first team as a junior and senior. His scoring averages were 10 points per game as a sophomore, 13 as a junior and 16 as a senior. Jordan was selected as team player of the year by the Northwest Georgia Tip-Off Club as a junior and as a senior.
Jordan played his last basketball game at Fannin on February 15, 2011, in a tournament game against Jefferson High School. It was an emotional night for the Farmer family, and for Fannin basketball fans, as it would also be the last game in the coaching career of Johnny Farmer. Johnny retired from coaching following that game having coached his teams to almost 600 victories in his 30-year career.
In baseball, Jordan Farmer caught every game played by the Rebels during his four years as member of the varsity team. His teams advanced to the state tournament all four years. An outstanding defensive catcher, he had a .996 fielding average and three out 27 runners attempting to steal during his senior campaign. No individual awards were given during his first three seasons, but he was awarded the team Best Defensive Player award for his senior year performance. He was selected to the All-Region first team as a senior and became the only player in school history to be selected to play in the East=West All-Star Game in Macon.
Jordan has an associate degree from Dalton College. He is married to Brianna Hyatt Farmer and has one son, Neyland, age 8. He has his own successful grading and landscaping business in Fannin County, He is an avid outdoorsman and hunter and enjoys helping with Neyland’s sports activities. He has an older brother Jonathan, who also participated in athletics in Fannin County.
Jordan’s mother, Donna, says that his biggest supporters were “his parents, grandparents and family. His biggest fan and his hero was his Papaw, Officer Frank Daves,”
The Fannin County Sports Hall of Fame is proud to add another member of the Farmer family to its membership roster