The exodus of schools in the highest classification of the Georgia Independent Schools Association (GISA) to the Georgia High Schools Association (GHSA) continues, as Deerfield-Windsor School in Albany will make the move this fall.
Deerfield-Windsor is one of more than a dozen former GISA schools that have joined the GHSA since 1988. The Knights are joined by Heritage-Newnan and Loganville Christian this year.
Deerfield-Windsor has been competing in football since 1970, and won 16 region titles in the GISA (the last in 2015) and four state championships (the last in 2012). Allen Lowe served two stints as head coach of the program – 1987-1994 and 2001-2019.
After holding the positions of head football coach, athletic director and interim head of school since last summer, Lowe was named permanent head of school last November. Jake McCrae, formerly the head coach of Providence Christian School in Jacksonville, FL, has been named head coach.
Lowe talked about the Knights’ move into the GHSA:
As athletic director, what led to your school's decision to leave the GISA and join the GHSA?
Our School has been discussing the idea for many years. The timing seemed right this time.
Do you expect your transition to be easier, given that you are joining a region (Region 1-Private) where all but one of the teams once competed in the GISA?
We are very familiar with the region we will be with. We look forward to reestablishing relationships with these schools.
Do you know much about any of the other teams in Class A of the GHSA?
We have much knowledge of many of the schools already in GHSA. Many of the private schools in GHSA are similar to us in mission and size. We hope to continue relationships with the schools in the GISA as well as develop new relationships with public schools in our area. We are already competing against GHSA schools in many sports and we hope to increase those competitions as we move forward.
For those who are not familiar with your program, what should they expect to see from the Knights?
The Knights will bring the same competitive spirit found in the Macon private schools. With a deeper pool of schools there will bring a deeper pool of talent. We look forward to adding to that as we strive to challenge our students in the classroom and on the field of competition.
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