CSD Athletics: Bulldog News

Thank you to everyone who came out to support the Bulldogs at the Annual Decatur Bulldog Booster BASH. 200 of our biggest Bulldog supporters, joined by our Bulldog coaches, celebrated together, raising money for each of our DHS and BHMS programs.

If you weren't able to make it, there's still time contribute to a Coaches' Wishlist and to bid on a Silent Auction item!

Click the Button Below!!

Bulldog Families,

We had a great time celebrating with all of our Bulldog supporters at the DBB BASH on Saturday night. Thank you to everyone who came out to the Lost Druid to help raise money for all our programs at Decatur High School and Beacon Hill Middle School. The DBB continues to be an organization that connects our community members from across all different programs and levels. A room full of Bulldog fans and coaches highlighted the important role we each play in providing positive learning experiences for our student-athletes.

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 Track & Field Seniors! On Friday night, we hosted the first-ever Track & Field Senior Night at Legacy Park. What a special time for our Seniors and their families. We appreciate all of the time and energy each of them have dedicated to the program.

Congratulations to our DHS Tennis Seniors! We were proud to celebrate our Bulldog Seniors who have given so much to the tennis program over the past few years. Good luck finishing out the season. Go Bulldogs!!

On Wednesday, March 4th, Decatur High School’s varsity gymnastics team competed in its first meet of the season. The GymDawgs placed 4th out of 8 teams overall with a team score of 94.325. Kati Fedak placed 9th on beam, while Cara Holechek placed 10th on vault, 9th on bars, and 5th in the all-around. As a team, the Gymdawgs scored 22.575 on bars, 24.845 on vault, 24.25 on beam, and 24.05 on floor.

Our Student-Athlete Leadership Team gathered this month for a session titled "Branding the Bulldogs." We were honored to host guest speaker Coach Adam Pinsley, who took our leaders behind the scenes of the creative process. Coach Pinsley shared his expertise on the craftsmanship behind a brand, discussing:

• The Process: How a logo is born from an idea to a finished symbol.

• The Details: Why every line, color, and font choice matters.

• Consistency: How a unified look builds a legacy of excellence.

Thank you, Coach Pinsley, for helping our leaders sharpen their vision! We are excited to continue to refine our branding and their values that our logos represent in CSD and in the community.

On Friday night, our Track & Field program hosted the Annual Legacy Park Invitational. The culminating event was the first-ever Steeplechase. Athletes, coaches, and parents were excited to run and cheer each other on. Congratulations to Tatum Herman and Alex Clement who are now #1 in the State in Steeplechase! Alex has also met the provisional qualification for the National Steeplechase Competition. Great job to everyone who helped make this opportunity possible!!

We are gearing up for the Inaugural Decatur High School Athletics Senior ESPY Awards. On May 3, our Senior athletes from across all programs will gather to celebrate their time competing as Bulldogs with our Bulldog coaches. We are excited to present numerous awards, including Coach of the Year, Athlete of the Year, Comeback Athlete of the Year, and Bulldog Spirit.

To celebrate our Seniors, we are collecting raffle items to giveaway and WE NEED YOUR HELP!! Sign up to donate a raffle prize using the SignUpGenius linked below. We hope to send our Seniors on to their next chapter feeling celebrated and supported!!

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.

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 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

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Monday, March 30 - 9th Soccer vs. Blessed Trinity (Legacy) - 6:30 PM

Tuesday, March 31 - Varsity Soccer vs. Starrs Mill - 6/8:00 PM

Thursday, April 2 - V Boys' Lacrosse vs. Riverwood - 7:45 PM

Friday, April 3 - JV/9 Boys' Soccer Scrimmage

Friday, April 3 - JV Girls' Scrimmage

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"