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The George Jenkins High School Competition BBQ team, “GJQ,” has developed its own line of barbecue rubs and recently started selling them at Whiskey Bent BBQ Supply, a Lakeland store on Commerce Point Drive. The rubs are also sold on Whiskey Bent’s website.
The team’s coach, Matt Townley, said proceeds from the sales helps fund the team’s activities. Robert Walmsley, 18, a senior at George Jenkins High School, said he’s pleased with the team’s success.
“I’m very excited. We’ve been talking about it for a couple of years now. To finally see it, it’s cool,” Walmsley said.
Walmsley said his teammates have been testing different ingredients during their practice cooks since the school year began to come up with the perfect combinations for their rubs, which include “Mr. George’s Brisket Dry Rub,” “All-Purpose Pork Dry Rub,” “Five Star Veggie Dry Rub” and the “The Golden Eagle Dry Rub.”
Mr. George’s Brisket Dry Rub is named after Publix founder George Jenkins. The Golden Eagle Dry Rub is a chicken and poultry rub that includes unlikely ingredients such as sugar, espresso and coriander. Don’t let the name fool you — the Five Star Veggie Dry Rub can also please your taste buds when it’s used to season fish, such as salmon.
Walmsley said his favorites are the All-Purpose Pork Dry Rub and Mr. George’s Brisket Dry Rub. “The whole flavor profile is put together nice,” he explained.
While the team was mostly responsible for crafting the recipes, Whiskey Bent handled the bottling and labeling of the product, Townley explained.
GJQ competed in its first barbecue competition, Lakeland Pigfest, in 2019. The team was the brainchild of Jason Byrd, the husband of former Polk County Public Schools Superintendent Jacqueline Byrd. Townley recalled Byrd visited Whiskey Bent and thought the district should start a high school team, and said George Jenkins High School was selected for the pilot project.
Besides testing and crafting rubs, the team teaches students other life skills such as how to cut meat, start a fire and barbecue. With the expansion of selling their dry rubs, Townley said, they’re now learning how to pitch their products to companies such as Publix.
“Some kids don’t do sports. They’re not musical … I think it’s good they found their niche and (are making) friends,” Townley said. “Just seeing these kids being successful at these things, it’s super cool.”
Walmsley, who has been on the team since his freshman year, said the experience has helped him become more outgoing.
“Before, I was very quiet. Now I’m just able to be myself. It let me get the high school experience. I’ve been able to meet more people and have more friends.”
Walmsley won second place for his barbecue ribs during the Lakeland Pigfest competition his freshman year, his coach recalled.
“We’ve been holding our own against grown men and women,” Walmsley said.
The team also won first place in the Florida High School BBQ Association competition in May. Composed of about 15-17 students, it is now trying to fund-raise to compete in the National High School Barbecue Competition in Kansas City, Missouri, in June. Townley estimates they’ll need to raise thousands of dollars before then to bring their grilling equipment to the competition as well as for flights to get there.
Along with selling the rubs, the team caters for events. Townley said the money raised also funds their practice cooks, where he purchases ribs and other meats for the students to practice barbecuing.
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