Several high school coaches from Clayton County have received post-season honors for their outstanding performance in the 2023 season. The coaches led their teams to impressive results in various sports, such as football, volleyball, softball, and cross country. Here are some of the highlights of their achievements.
Coach of the Year awards for football and volleyball
Two coaches from Lovejoy High School have been named Coach of the Year by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for their respective sports. Edgar Carson, the head football coach, led the Wildcats to a 12-2 record and a runner-up finish in the Class 6A state championship. Carson, who has been coaching at Lovejoy since 2010, has a career record of 114-32 and has won seven region titles. He was also named the Region 4-6A Coach of the Year and the Clayton County Coach of the Year.
Cynthia Kennedy, the head volleyball coach, guided the Wildcats to a 35-5 record and a state title in Class 6A. Kennedy, who has been coaching at Lovejoy since 2014, has a career record of 245-51 and has won six state championships. She was also named the Region 4-6A Coach of the Year and the Clayton County Coach of the Year.
Both coaches attributed their success to the hard work and dedication of their players and staff. They also thanked the administration, the parents, and the community for their support.
Softball coach makes history with state title
Another coach who made history this season was Tara Taylor, the head softball coach at Elite Scholars Academy. Taylor led the Royals to a 25-3 record and a state title in Class A Public, becoming the first African American female coach to win a state championship in softball in Georgia. Taylor, who has been coaching at Elite Scholars since 2017, has a career record of 76-23 and has won three region titles. She was also named the Region 5-A Coach of the Year and the Clayton County Coach of the Year.
Taylor said she was proud of her team for overcoming the challenges of the pandemic and the competition. She also said she hoped to inspire other young girls and women to pursue their dreams in sports.
Cross country coach leads team to historic finish
One more coach who deserves recognition is Michael Ward, the head cross country coach at Jonesboro High School. Ward coached the boys team to a fourth-place finish in the Class 5A state meet, the best result in school history. Ward, who has been coaching at Jonesboro since 2016, has improved the team’s performance every year, from 31st in 2017 to 10th in 2018 to seventh in 2019 to fourth in 2023. He was also named the Region 3-5A Coach of the Year and the Clayton County Coach of the Year.
Ward said he was impressed by the improvement and dedication of his runners. He also said he was grateful for the opportunity to coach at Jonesboro and to work with the other coaches in the county.
Congratulations to all the coaches
These are just some of the examples of the excellent coaches in Clayton County who have made a positive impact on their teams and their schools. They have demonstrated leadership, passion, and excellence in their respective sports. They have also earned the respect and admiration of their peers, their players, and their fans. We congratulate them on their achievements and wish them continued success in the future.
