High school quarterback credits success to Columbus inventor

RIVERDALE, Ga. ( WRBL ) — A Georgia high school senior is having the best season of his career. He credits part of his success to a device pioneered by a Columbus inventor.

Zach Still has been playing football with his twin brother Zion for years, but it was this year that his career took off. Still is beginning his first year as the starting varsity quarterback for Charles R. Drew High School, in Riverdale, Ga.

For the first time in team history, the Titans have gone undefeated since the season began in August.

Still credits the success to a months-long partnership with Joseph Hamilton, the Columbus-based inventor of 4 Second Football , designed to improve the throw times and accuracy of young quarterbacks. He feels the device has helped him grow confidence on the field.

“[I] Started off my first two years, my varsity stats weren’t that well because I was a backup and I feel like I didn’t have a lot of confidence myself,” Still said. “As I use the ball, as I trained as a starter, I’ve grown and I like to brag about my ball security this year where I have no turnovers in the first three games, which is pretty big for me.”

Still was introduced to Hamilton through his mother, Ursula, who first heard of 4 Second Football when she took part in a business pitch competition in Atlanta last year. After hearing Hamilton’s pitch, Still’s mother reached out to Hamilton to see if he’d like to work with her twins.

“Everything he said the ball did, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh.  Zachary just – Zachary just said all of those,” Ursula Still said as her twins practiced with Hamilton at Riverdale Regional Park, Zion throwing to Zach.

Hamilton’s invention uses a specialized football modified with tracking technology, wristband and app to help players improve their game. The app logs throw times and other statistics to help quarterbacks fine tune their training.

“His [Zach’s] main goal going into the next season was he wanted a stronger arm,” Ursula Still said. “He wanted his throw to be further and he wanted to be able to get more, you know, more skilled in the game.”

So far this season, Still has had the best statistics of his career. With a season total QB rate of 106.5 , Still ranks among the top 250 high school players in the state of Georgia.

Still, who added strong players bring out the best in each other, believes his game improved while training with Hamilton’s invention over the summer. For Hamilton, working with Still has helped him hone 4 Second Football capabilities and fine tune device mechanics.

Hamilton, a former high school football player himself, said he’s looking forward to seeing what comes next for Still.

“The statistics that he’s putting up really can’t be glossed over … That’s exactly what college coaches look for,” Hamilton said.

Still hopes this year’s season will earn him a football scholarship. His top choices include Kennesaw, Georgia State or Fort Valley.

“Obviously, the player puts in the work, so it still comes down to his skill level and his skill set,” Hamilton said. “We just hope that our tool is a measurement that can give—give you insight [you need].”

Hamilton will continue working with the Stills throughout the season. He is also working with players and teams at other area high schools, with plans to someday bring 4 Second Football to a national audience. The Columbus inventor also hopes to launch a 7-on-7 football league using his timing technology within the next year.

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