When it was time for GHSA schools to reclassify this offseason, it was time for four of them in Macon to announce a change.
FPD, Mount de Sales, Stratford and Tattnall Square Academy have all left their old stomping grounds behind for new beginnings.
“There's some things that we feel shouldn't apply, honestly,” FPD head coach Greg Moore said. “Things about service area and zones and all that kind of stuff, and we just felt like it was in our best interest once those decisions started coming down, to get with some like-minded schools in terms of what we thought was best with rules and regulations for us.”
And with new beginnings, come new challenges too.
Firstly, strength of schedule – to which FPD’s answer is to continue to schedule GHSA opponents – and and secondly, recruiting -- will it be tougher for stars to shine in a smaller league?
Consider the Vikings unbothered. “We've got some kids here who are being very heavily recruited and interestingly enough, all the guys doing all that recruiting have not asked me yet which league we play in,” Moore said. “They just know whether or not the kid can play.” Then, there's the John Milledge Academy Trojans, who have simply dominated the independent leagues for years.
In Milledgeville, more schools equals more exposure.
“They're going to do a great job of marketing, getting these names, these schools out there,” JMA head coach JT Wall said. “Hudl and social media has really jumped to the forefront and changed the recruiting process right now for these guys anyway. So we feel like the GIAA is going to jump on board and kind of take charge of that and help out.”
As JMA now gears up to go for a historic fourth straight state title, it's a challenge that comes at the perfect time.
“Those Macon [schools] are a whole new challenge, a whole new aspect,” Wall said. “We're the little fish in the big pond in this district we're in now with these guys and we know it's going to be a challenge playing them, much less playing them four straight weeks. Our schedule we feel like is the toughest we've had so far, and it is what it is.”
No matter the conference, no matter the opponent, this fall, the goal remains the same. “To me the biggest thing that's not changed is kids are still kids,” Moore said. “They play this at the level I coach, for fun. Because the day's going to come when they don't get to do this anymore, and they know that. So they want to have a good time while they're here. That's what still matters the most.”
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