After an exciting post-season run, the Girls Varsity Soccer team brought home Atlanta Classical Academy’s first State Championship title! They defeated Armuchee High School in the State Finals last Friday in a 4-0 shutout.
Head Coach Mr. Garrett Holt was named Region 6 Soccer Coach of the Year by the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association (GACA).
Coach Holt reflected on the team’s incredible season:
“Even after best efforts and many creative innovations by our athletic department and coaches, our school athletic facilities consist of a frequently flooded soccer field, a gym that rivals Duke’s Cameron in proximity of fans to the court but is only large enough on which to play middle school games, a patch of turf used for elementary recess, and a weight room set-up that was modeled off of “The Longest Yard.” Despite all of this, despite having a third of our practices in the gym, despite frequent COVID-related problems, and despite having, on average, a student body that is half the size of its opponents, our little school brought home a state championship.
The amount which the team grew and matured throughout the year was astounding. Each game they displayed improved technical skills as well as a more sound grasp of the tactical elements of the game. By the end of the season, watching them play was a joy with the way they moved the ball and dominated possession. They showed up every day confident, yet humble. After each loss they looked at themselves to see what they could improve instead of blaming teammates; I am fairly confident no one on the teams knows how many goals they scored. They were quick to applaud and praise the accolades of their teammates and deferential when praised themselves. Indeed, it is the way the team sacrificed for the mission which made them so effective.
Dubbed by our coaches as the “little team that could,” our girls persevered throughout the season, never complained, always improved, and continued to challenge themselves and their teammates. In the midst of a wild year, especially since we began while still virtual, having in-person practice with students was such a joy for myself and the other coaches. You would be hard-pressed to find a better, more joyful, caring, and respectful group of young women anywhere. They fully deserve this state title, and I am so proud of how they handled themselves throughout the season.”