New Corinthians Ministries mixes football and mentoring

FLOWERY BRANCH - Move over Atlanta Falcons - there&#39;s a new kid on the block, a semi-pro football team that plans to play some of its home games at Flowery Branch High School in the shadow of the Falcons&#39; headquarters and training facility. <br> <br> Tim Cross is co-owner and CEO of the North Georgia Mountaineers of the Southern Football League - a team that wants to win football games but also be a mentor to young boys. <br> <br> Cross is also founder of New Corinthians Ministries which gave birth to the From Boys to Men Mentoring Program and the North Georgia Mountaineers minor league professional football team. The mission of both, Cross said, is to &#34;give young men of Hall County a second chance&#34; - both on the football field and in life. The mentoring program is geared to young boys; the football team is for those who maybe hung their cleats up after high school or college and are looking for one more chance at a bit of gridiron glory.<br> <br> Cross and Mountaineers co-owner Chad Randolph, who is well-known in South Hall youth football circles, say they are especially concerned about the influence of gangs on today&#39;s youth in Hall County. The mentoring program, they say, aims to attack that problem.<br> <br> As for the Mountaineers , the team will play an eleven-game scheduled starting July 24. Two homes games each are scheduled at Chestatee High School, Johnson High, and Flowery Branch High.