CSD Athletics: Bulldog News

Bulldog Families,

The Decatur Bulldog Booster Bash is this Saturday! And, it's SOLD OUT!!! Thanks to everyone who has purchased a ticket, sponsored a coach, donated to the silent auction, and already placed a bid! This continues to be a great event where all of our Bulldog families from Decatur High and Beacon Hill Middle Schools come together to celebrate, fellowship, and fundraise.

As always, there is a lot to celebrate in CSD Athletics. 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

(rthomas@csdecatur.net)

Assistant Activities & Athletics Director: David Harbin

(dharbin@csdecatur.net)

Bookkeeper & Administrative Assistant: Kelli Aaron

(kaaron@csdecatur.net)

Congratulations to our Literary Team! This week, Coach Shelby Coffin and our Bulldogs competed in the State Competition. Decatur finished in 5th-place overall, with the Bulldogs below reaching the top in the State, including State Champion, Abigale Lancaster!

Sophia Prybyski: Runner Up - Domestic Extemporaneous Speech

Liora Yustein: 3rd - International Extemporaneous Speech

Abigail Lancaster: CHAMPION - Literary Analysis Essay

Congratulations to our DHS Swim & Dive team. The accolades keep coming for this historic DHS team! Our Bulldogs had NINE students added to the All-State team, representing individual and relay teams. All of these times set DHS school records, and Isaiah Lewis' individual times qualified him for All-American recognition. Great job, Bulldogs!

1st Team All-State

Sidney Cape (200 FR- 1:39.50)

Laura Durbin (200 FR- 1:39.50)

Melanie Joyner (200 FR- 1:39.50)

Calla Lockwood (200 FR- 1:39.50)

Tobias Hylen (200 FR- 1:25.71 400 FR- 3:08.48)

Isaiah Lewis (50 Free- 20.53 100 Free- 44.71 200 FR- 1:25.71 400 FR- 3:08.48)

Will Sauer (200 FR- 1:25.71 400 FR- 3:08.48)

William Sollie (200 FR- 1:25.71 400 FR- 3:08.48)

2nd Team All-State

William Sollie (500 Free- 4:39.70)

3rd Team All-State

Emily Deeb (200 MR- 1:51.48)

March is National Athletic Training Month, and we are grateful to have Ms. DeAndrea Hudson at Decatur High School! Dee goes above and beyond to build relationships with our students and communicate with our families to keep everyone safe and competing at their highest potential. Thank you, Dee!!

DHS Volleyball Tryouts for the 2026 Fall season are right around the corner! All rising 8th-12th graders should complete the Interest Form HERE. Tryouts will be held May 5-7 at the Beacon Hill MS gymnasium. Students must have an updated medical profile in DragonFly to participate.

Contact Coach Tigner (mtigner@csdecatur.net) and Coach Spriggs (gospriggs@gmail.com) with any questions.

We are so proud of our Bulldogs who decide to continue their athletic pursuits at the collegiate level. Three more Bulldog Seniors committed to colleges and universities as student-athletes. On Tuesday, we were able to reflect on and celebrated their success and cannot wait to support them as they represent the Bulldogs at the next level.

Congratulations to these Bulldogs!!

Sadur Salahuddin - Football - Livingstone College

Andrew Hurdle - Football - Alabama State University

Nickolas Nathaniel - Football - Lagrange College

Congratulations to Senior Olivia Sawyer! Olivia was recognized by the Georgia Athletic Directors Association as a finalist for their Student Scholarship. This is an opportunity offered to student-athletes across the state of Georgia. Olivia has represented CSD as a stellar student-athlete on the Cross County and Track teams, in Chorus, and in a variety of clubs and organizations. We are proud to have her recognized by the GADA and representing CSD at the State level!

Shout out to our DHS Student-Athlete Leadership Team members who visited FAVE on Friday to help or Future Bulldogs celebrate Reading Across America Week. The Falcons at FAVE kicked off the week celebrating Dr. Seuss' birthday and had celebrated reading all week. Our Bulldogs were excited to join in the festivities on Friday to "Rise Up for Reading!" Thank you to Dr. Macon and Principal Thomas at FAVE for including our DHS Student-Athletes in this celebration of reading.

SALT members pictured: Sidney Cape, Cameron Frazier, Mary Frances Bell, Ellie Green, London Docherty, Olivia Lewis, Quinn Yedverb, Hagen Jones, Emily Deeb, and Lena Castro.

Congratulations to our Student-Athlete Leadership Team! In the Fall, our Bulldogs held a "Groove for St. Jude's" fundraiser as a part of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association National Service Initiative. Our Bulldogs set up a Disco Booth and raised over $1,100. City Schools of Decatur was recognized with a Certificate of Appreciation as an Outstanding Contributor at the Georgia Athletic Director Association Conference.

Decatur High School students without a smartphone have the option to email our Athletic Director, Mr. Rodney Thomas, or our Principal, Dr. Duane Sprull, to make ticket arrangements. Communication must be at least 48 hours before the event.

Please note: This process will not apply to GHSA Playoff events hosted at Decatur High School.

We’re excited to welcome everyone to our events this year, and we are committed to ensuring every fan feels both safe and welcomed at our athletic events.

To streamline entry and support a positive experience, here’s what to know:

• Weapons detection systems will be in use at the gates to enhance safety and peace of mind.

• Bag guidelines: Only clear bags are allowed—either a clear bag up to 12″ x 6″ x 12″ or a small clutch (around 4.5″ × 6.5″). Exceptions are made for medically necessary or diaper bags, which will be subject to inspection.

• Faster entry is easier entry: Bringing fewer items helps everyone move through the screening process more smoothly and swiftly.

Thank you for your cooperation, and for helping us create a welcoming and secure atmosphere for Bulldog Nation.

Our Decatur Bulldog Boosters have something for everyone when it comes to Bulldog Swag. Start 2026 off right in your new Decatur Bulldog Spirit Wear. All proceeds go to support our BHMS and DHS Bulldog Student-Athletes!

Click the image above to browse the Shop

Learn more about how you can become a Bulldog Sponsor for the 2025-26 school year by clicking the button below.

We are a community of parents and guardians dedicated to enhancing the athletic experience at both DHS and BHMS—and we want you involved! Joining us is a great way to meet other families and directly impact your student's season. We meet the second Monday of every month at 6:30 p.m. in the DHS Performing Arts Center (PAC) hospitality suite. Mark your calendars for our upcoming 2025-2026 meetings.

• Remaining 2026 meeting dates: Mar. 9 | Apr. 13 | May 11

Stay in the know on all things Boosters by following us on Facebook and Instagram.

@Decatur Bulldog Boosters

@rwtd5k

@decaturbulldogbash

Thursday, March 19 - Golf vs. Riverwood (Stonemont)

Thursday, March 19 - Varsity Baseball vs. Chamblee - 5:55 PM

Friday, March 20 - Track Meet - Legacy Park Invitational

Friday, March 20 - JV/V Boys' Lacrosse vs. Milton - 6:00 PM

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Monday, March 23 - JV/V Girls Lacrosse vs. Riverwood - 6:00 PM

Monday, March 23 - JV Soccer vs. AIS (Legacy Park) - 6:30 PM

Tuesday, March 24 - DHS Golf vs. Parkview (Stonemont)

Tuesday, March 24 - JV Baseball vs. Redan - 5:30 PM

Tuesday, March 24 - Varsity Soccer vs. Shiloh - 6:00 PM

Wednesday, March 25 - JV Soccer vs. Dunwoody

Wednesday, March 25 - Varsity Baseball vs. Shiloh - 5:55 PM

Thursday, March 26 - JV Tennis vs. Parkview (Oakhurst) - 4:00 PM

Friday, March 27 - Varsity Soccer vs. Woodward - 6:00 PM

Friday, March 27 - BHMS Soccer vs. Henderson - 5:45 PM

We often view physical skills—like a perfect free throw or a fast sprint—as things we need to practice every day. However, we sometimes treat mental skills like confidence, focus, and composure as traits we either "have or don't have." This episode from "The Sports Psychology Coaching Podcast" emphasizes the importance a resilient mindset.

To help our student-athletes reach their full potential, we want to encourage a shift in perspective: the mental game is a skill that can be trained. Just as you wouldn't expect to improve your strength without hitting the weight room, you can't expect to improve your resilience without consistent mental "reps."

In this video, mental performance coach Eli Straw outlines a foundational 20-minute daily routine to help athletes take control of their mindset:

• Journaling (5 mins): Write one page to process frustrations, understand your motivations, and build self-awareness.

• Self-Talk (2 mins): Read a list of 10 positive, encouraging statements aloud to "reprogram" your automatic thoughts.

• Mindfulness Meditation (10 mins): Practice focusing on your breath to build the skill of staying present and noticing when your mind drifts.

• Visualization (3-5 mins): Imagine yourself succeeding in clutch moments to strengthen your belief in your skills.

By incorporating these exercises into a daily habit—ideally in the morning to set the tone for the day—our athletes can build a mindset that matches their physical talent.

The 2026 Winter Olympics provided us with countless unforgettable moments—from record-breaking runs on the slopes to the display of pure grit on the ice. But beyond the medals and the highlight reels, these Games offered a masterclass in the many lessons that sports provide as an unparalleled educational and character-building opportunity.

One of the most resonant messages came from Olympic skier Eileen Gu. She argues that the true power of sports is how they provide evidence over affirmation.

While it’s common to try to "talk ourselves into" being brave, Gu explains that real self-trust isn't about telling yourself a "chipper little line" at the last second. Instead, it is the result of the radical honesty of training—knowing you showed up early, stayed late, and gave 100% when no one else was watching.

At its core, this is why we value the student-athlete experience so highly. Sports are a laboratory for character; they teach our students that confidence isn't a feeling they have to wait for, but a muscle they build through a "decade of hard work".

Whether in the classroom, the lab, or future career paths, confidence through sport is something we hope all of our Bulldog student-athletes gain and utilize in every pursuit. It is the quiet, internal knowledge that they can handle the pressure because they have already done it, time and again.

When we sign up for sports, we sign up for to skill development, competition, and fun. Also included in the mix are frustration, mistakes, and disappointment. Some of the most lasting and impactful growth happens in these difficult moments and it is important to be thoughtful in our approach as supportive adults. This Positive Coaching Alliance article provides good advice for supporting athletes to in these tough moments.

How Parents/Caregivers Can Support Their Athletes Through Tough Moments

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!

Tips for a Positive Parent/Caregiver-Coach Partnership

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"