May is the month of celebration in high school sports and the Georgia High School Association has a basement full of trophies, T-shirts, caps, medals and a whole bunch of balls to prove it.
“At the end of May, it will all be gone,’’ GHSA media director Steve Figueroa said. “We’re packing trophies and mailing out soccer balls and baseballs. It’s the busiest time of the year, no question.’’
The first of 66 state champions will be crowned on Friday at the state gymnastics meet at Westminster.
The girls track and field state meet runs Thursday through Saturday in Albany. The starting gun for the boys’ state meet fires the following week in Jefferson.
The first round of the state soccer tournament begins Tuesday. The GHSA last week sent 456 soccer balls to region secretaries, who then distributed them to coaches of the home teams.
The balls advance with the winners of each round. The GHSA will bring a fresh set of 144 balls to the finals on May 16-17.
The number of baseballs provided is four times more. The GHSA provides 2,520 balls through the finals May 24-26. The state baseball playoffs begin Friday.
Figueroa, the coordinator of the state tennis tournament, will bring 150 cans of tennis balls to the finals on May 10 in Jonesboro. He said he spends a day in the basement preparing, sorting items by gender and classification. In tennis, each of 28 finalists and runner-up teams will get a team trophy, 14 medals, 14 T-shirts, 14 caps (for boys teams) and 14 visors (for girls teams). Figueroa said one car won’t hold it all.
The GHSA buys and provides medals, T-shirts and caps/visors, a total of 702 of each. Gymnastics, track and field and golf have individual medals but not team awards.
Georgia’s contending schools and teams will be busy, too.
Westminster athletics director Rusty Hudson oversees 83 high school and middle school teams. Westminster qualified all 12 spring varsity teams for the state meets and playoffs.
“I wouldn’t say it’s busier than usual, but it’s more hectic,’’ said Hudson, who might have two or three playoff events going on simultaneously on his campus at least once this spring. “You feel like a juggler.’’
Perhaps the GHSA should keep some of its inventory in Westminster’s basement to save time. Westminster won a state-record nine spring sports championships last year.
“Nine wasn’t even something we thought was in question last year, but things happen and the kids came through,’’ Hudson said. “It was kind of a dream.’’
Countdown to 66
The GHSA will crown 66 team state champions in 24 days beginning Friday. Here are the key dates:
Girls track and field (7) – Thursday-Saturday
Gymnastics (1) – Friday
Boys track and field (7) – May 8-10
Tennis (14) – May 10
Soccer (12) – May 16-17
Lacrosse (4) – May 17
Golf (14) – May 19
Baseball (7) –May 24, 26
