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For the 2024-2025 school year, Grace Christian Athletics demonstrated remarkable excellence, culminating in its recognition with the prestigious Michael Drake Award for Athletic Excellence. This esteemed honor, awarded annually by the Georgia Independent School Association, is a testament to GCA’s outstanding athletic performance and unwavering commitment to sportsmanship, teamwork, and competitive success.

As the top-performing school in GIAA’s A classification, GCA achieved excellence across multiple sports, earning the highest cumulative points for its athletic achievements throughout the academic year. The award, presented at the annual GISA conference, was accepted on behalf of GCA by Athletic Director Rhonda Wells, a dedicated leader whose efforts have propelled the school’s sports programs to new heights. The presentation, made by Mark Whitley of George Walton Academy, underscored the importance of recognizing schools that exemplify athletic prowess and dedication to student-athletes.

The Michael Drake Award for Athletic Excellence is reserved for schools that consistently excel in sports within the GISA framework. Established to honor Dr. Michael Drake, GISA’s Executive Director from 2001 to 2009, the award celebrates comprehensive athletic success across various classifications. Over the years, several distinguished schools have received this honor, including Brookstone School and Deerfield-Windsor School, which dominated the competition from 2015 to 2017, earning three consecutive awards. Brentwood School is also among the notable past winners, further cementing the award’s reputation as a hallmark of sustained athletic achievement.

In addition to this extraordinary accolade, Grace Christian Athletics celebrates another major milestone this year. Athletic Director Wells had been named Coach of the Year in tennis, an acknowledgment of her exceptional leadership, strategic guidance, and unwavering commitment to developing student-athletes. Wells’ coaching has profoundly influenced GCA’s tennis program, elevating it to new levels of success and ensuring a stellar season for the school’s sports division.