CSD Athletics: Bulldog News
August 25th, 2023
Bulldog Families,
We continue to celebrate our students and coaches in our Bulldog community!! This week, our Football Bulldogs will take on region rival Woodward to remain undefeated in our battle for the #1 seed heading into the GHSA State Playoffs. This week's game will be broadcast by Score Atlanta as a part of the GA High School Hall of Fame Weekend. Two former Decatur athletes, Jack Pitts (Trinity High) and Frank Broyles (Decatur High) will be honored this weekend and we look forward to having their families in attendance along with the other inductees! We hope you will join us to celebrate the Bulldogs of the past and the present on Friday night.
Congratulations to our Softball and Volleyball programs who wrapped up exciting and successful seasons. We are proud of your growth, competition, and teamwork throughout this year!
Good luck to our Winter programs, Swim, Wrestling, and Basketball as they get their seasons going. And as always, THANK YOU and great job to our Bulldog cheerleaders who continue to be our loudest supporters for the Fall while beginning to transition into their Winter season.
Winter sports are starting. Please be sure you have an updated medical profile in DragonFly if your student plans to participate.
If you have any questions or need guidance relating to our programs, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Go Bulldogs!!
Director of Activities & Athletics: Rodney Thomas
Assistant Activities & Athletics Director: David Harbin
Bookkeeper & Administrative Assistant: Kelli Aaron
BHMS Girls' Soccer Interest Form
Girls' Soccer at Beacon Hill is just around the corner! If you are interested in trying out in the Spring, please fill out the form below. We're looking forward to a great season. If you have any questions, reach out to Coach Ali (htrenovations@earthlink.net) and Coach Witherspoon (wilson.witherspoon@gmail.com)
Girls' Lacrosse Interest Form
Interested in playing girls lacrosse? Fill out this form from your CSD email to show your interest. Please email Coach Alex Powers (apowers@csdecatur.net) if you have any questions.
Registration OPEN - Boys' Soccer Thanksgiving Camp Fundraiser
We are excited to invite you to our third annual Decatur High School Soccer Camp Fundraiser. Your camper will have fun during the holiday break on our stadium field while supporting the Boys Soccer Program. 100% of the proceeds go directly to the Boys Soccer Program helping keep costs low while enhancing our student athletes' experience. We hope you can join us for some soccer fun over Thanksgiving Break!!
Date: Nov 25th, 26th, 27th, 2024
Time: 9am-12pm
Location: Decatur High School Stadium
Ages: Kindergarten - 8th Grade
Cost: $75 early registration and $105 late registration fee
Registration Link: Camp Registration
Camp Video: See Campers in Action
Please note that spots fill up quickly so we encourage you to take advantage of early registration as we sold out last year with over 120 campers in attendance. If you have any questions please email Coach Derrick at dburgess@csdecatur.net
Now Accepting Nominations for the Run With the Dogs 5K Face of the Race
Each year, the Run With the Dogs 5K race features a local dog as our “Face of the Race.” We invite the community to nominate their cutest canine friends now through November 22. Once the nomination period closes, the public will vote on the nominees and select our official 2025 Face of the Race!
Here are this year’s Face of the Race Rules:
1) All nominators MUST register for the 2025 Run With The Dogs before nominating your dog. Register Here!
2) Post your dog’s photo on Instagram or Facebook and tag @RWTD5K. Please be sure to include their name, a creative hashtag describing your pup, and hashtag #RWTD5K. Please remember to make sure your post is public, or send information via direct message. If you are not on social media, please send requested information to runwiththedogs5k@gmail.com.
3) Photos will be accepted through November 22, 2024.
4) Once the nomination period closes, we will ask the public to vote for their favorite dog. This will be announced on the RWTD5K Instagram and Facebook pages. Be sure to share the opportunity to vote with friends, and encourage others to join you for the Run With the Dogs 5K!
Get Your Game Ticket Bundle for the Entire Year
Boosters offers ticket packs that are good for any game* throughout the year at Decatur High School and Beacon Hill Middle School. Click HERE to choose your level, and Go Bulldogs!
(*Excludes away games and playoff games.)
Check Out Our Team Rosters
If you’ve ever wondered who’s playing what position, there’s now a roster for that. Check out the rosters for all fall sports HERE.
Please scroll through the options to find the sport appropriate to your visit. Click the team name or photo to be redirected to detailed information about each team. We appreciate your patience as we finalize our Fall Sports!
Save the Dates
Boosters has two main fundraisers to support our student athletes at DHS and BHMS: Run With the Dogs 5K (RWTD5K) and Bulldog Bash -- both are great community events that you won't want to miss. Mark your calendars and look for more information in the coming weeks.
RWTD5K: January 25, 2025
Bulldog Bash: March 22, 2025
The Haints and Saints Parade Presented by Placita Latina is October 27 at 6 p.m.
Come out and celebrate the community and Hispanic heritage as the parade marches from the Decatur Cemetery to the downtown square. Dress for the occasion and bring your dog, you might spot of few RWTD pups along the route!
More information can be found HERE.
Fundraise for Your Sport by Helping In Concessions
Watch the game while also raising money for your team. Any DBB-supported sport can earn up to $100 per game by encouraging their athletes to manage concessions.
- $20 per volunteer per game
- Max: 5 volunteers per game
- DBB pays quarterly payouts to the Athletics Play Fund for each participating sport
Sign up HERE!
DEF's Supper & Sips is Back!
Thursday, Nov. 14, 6-10 p.m.
Grab your friends and neighbors and help us celebrate the return of Supper & Sips ... in a brand new location - The Chapel on Sycamore!
Enjoy dinner by Oakhurst Market, dessert by Butter & Cream, and drinks provided by Three Taverns Brewery and Decatur Package Store. Maxwell Street guitarist Terry Cannon will perform before an exciting Fund-a-Need and live auction with one-of-a-kind vacations and experiences.
Decatur Education Foundation's mission is to help Decatur youth overcome the obstacles that keep them from finding success. We generate and apply resources from the community to address unmet needs, provide enriching opportunities, support our educators, and ultimately strengthen the Decatur community.
Interested in sponsorship opportunities? Email Meagan@DecaturEducationFoundation.org.
Getting to Know our Head Softball Coach, Taryn Williams
Coach Taryn Williams has been coaching softball since she was 17 and has spent the last three years coaching at Decatur. One of her favorite sports memories is Danielle’s home run walk-off to beat Chamblee, as well as Peri Jeffers’ two diving catches against Union Grove. She admires Serena Williams for her strength, confidence, and signature fist pump, which Coach Williams mirrors when her players strike out opponents. Her love for the game and desire to share her knowledge with players inspired her to coach, especially as softball teaches resilience through failure. Her favorite sports movies are The Benchwarmers and Hardball. Seeing her players accomplish their goals is the most rewarding part of coaching. In her free time, she enjoys catching up on sleep but is also exploring new hobbies. If she weren’t a teacher, she would have pursued a career in politics.
Getting to Know our Softball Coach, Wardrickes Buck
Coach Wardrickes Buck has been coaching for more than 20 years, with this being her third year at Decatur. She teaches American Literature, works in Special Education, and serves as a case manager. A memorable part of her career includes coaching while pregnant with her two sons during the 2019 and 2023 seasons. Her father is her role model due to his remarkable ability to connect with athletes, a skill she aspires to develop. Inspired by her former pitching coach Bill Hudson, who once called her his protégé, she began giving lessons, which eventually led to her coaching career. Her favorite sports movie is Remember the Titans, and what she finds most rewarding is when former players reach out to share the positive impact she had on their lives. Outside of coaching, she is a wife and mother to two young children (ages 4 and 11 months), so free time is a rare luxury. A fun fact is that she was the first female athlete to receive a full fastpitch softball scholarship at The Clark Atlanta University.
Sportsmanship Building Integrity
In sports, it's not just about winning—it's about doing what's right. In this clip, professional tennis player Jack Sock demonstrates exceptional sportsmanship during a crucial point in a match. When honesty outweighs competition, it reminds us all that true champions are defined not just by their skills, but by their integrity. Watch how a simple act of fairness on the court can make a lasting impact both in sports and in life.
Tips for a Positive Parent/Caregiver-Coach Partnership
The role of an athlete's parent is challenging for many reasons! Finding opportunities for your child to participate, encouraging them to take risks, celebrating their accomplishments, supporting them through various challenges... It adds up and can take a toll. This resource from the Positive Coaching Alliance emphasizes the importance of building a partnership with your child's coach and provides helpful strategies to do so. There are many valuable lessons our students can learn through sports, many of which are not fun or easy to learn, and having adults who are working together makes the challenging times beneficial!
What are YOUR Youth Sports Goals?
This year, the Bulldogs are partnering again with the Positive Coaching Alliance to enhance the experience of our students, coaches, and Bulldog families. The PCA has a vast number of resources that can help us make the most of our experience.
This resource is an activity we shared last year that aims at helping students and their families determine what their goals are as student-athletes. This exercise can spark some important conversations about how families decide to navigate this experience. Making sure everyone is on the same page about what desired outcomes can help to create a positive experience!
"What are YOUR Youth Sport Goals? Parent/Caregiver 100 Point Exercise"
