Coaches teach young athletes about hard work, passion and good sportsmanship — skills that are just as important off the field — and they can instill a lifelong love of the game.
All summer long, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Atlanta Braves are teaming up to honor the youth baseball and softball coaches who are making a difference on the field and in their communities.
“We would like to recognize the outstanding coaches in Georgia providing our young athletes with exceptional playing experience. The most important thing to know is the fundamentals, but there is so much more than that,” the Braves said in a statement.
This week’s nominees have all demonstrated outstanding dedication to providing youth athletes with exceptional playing experiences. Check out their profiles and vote for your favorite. The winning coaches will be profiled in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and each will receive a $100 Kroger gift card and a baseball signed by a Braves player.
Vote for your favorite coach
Voting now closed. Winners will be announced on Monday afternoon on the Braves Coach of the Week page.
Emily Barnard
Credit: Photo courtesy of Emily Barnard
Credit: Photo courtesy of Emily Barnard
“Coach Emily demonstrates true leadership, loyalty and commitment to our team,” Tommy Gay wrote in his nomination of Barnard.
As coach of the Carolina Elite 12U team in Bulloch County, “She puts the girls and their needs before hers,” Gay wrote. “Coach Emily has turned our girls into true athletes, and we cannot thank her enough.”
Charlotte D’Amico
Credit: photo courtesy of Charlotte D'Amico
Credit: photo courtesy of Charlotte D'Amico
From the first meeting with her NYO United team, Deborah Taylor wrote in her nomination, D’Amico asked her players to “be kind, work hard and have fun.”
“She is an inspiration to her players and fellow coaches, working tirelessly to bring sportsmanship values to her league,” Taylor wrote.
Brooke Foster
Credit: Casey Messing
Credit: Casey Messing
Casey Messing nominated Foster, who is one of Messing’s Kennworth Park Recreation Association coaches.
“Our three amazing coaches are a positive light in my daughter’s life,” Messing wrote, “where she is encouraged and supported by these role models that she never knew she needed in her life.”
Previous Braves Softball Coaches of the Week
