Marist Sports Teams Dominate State Athletic Polls

Every school aims for success with its athletics program. achieves success annually.

For the tenth consecutive year, the school has been the recipient of the Georgia Athletic Directors Association Directors Cup - an honor earned by the institution with the most state-ranked teams at the end of the season.

"We've got a great bunch of kids," said Jerry Novac, Marist sports information director and baseball assistant coach. "They are dedicated and work hard. We also have a great group of coaches that have been here a while."

Novac said some of the success can be attributed to the school's low attrition rate with coaching staff and the parental support.

"It’s really a three-pronged attacked: the kids, the coaching staff and the parents. Our goal is always the state championship. Around here, we look at the big, big picture and go for that. We build them up for the big prize," he said.

Marist is an athletic powerhouse - not in the traditional sense where it dominates in football and basketball - but in the sense that they dominate at every sport.

This spring is no different.

Marist has five teams that are currently state-ranked - baseball, boys and girls soccer, and boys and girls tennis. Each team has exceled throughout the season and arguably have a legitimate shot at winning a championship. Across the board, the coaches agree there are three things that consistently keep them at the top of their game.

That winning attitude is carried throughout all of Marist's sports programs. The baseball squad, which won the state title in 2010, is currently ranked No. 2 in the polls with a record of 16-2 and a first-place mark of 9-0 in Region 6A-AAAA. This year’s group has 15 returning seniors looking to cap off their careers with back-to-back championships.

Novac prepared his team for conference play and a potential championship repeat by scheduling a tough AAAAA schedule before the regional play began.

"They're back and they’re hungry and they want to repeat," he said. "That tough schedule early on helped get us in the swing of things. We’re still trying to improve."

The girls' tennis team is ranked No. 1 in the state and also looks to clinch consecutive state championships. Led by head coach Father Frank Kissel, the girls showcase an impressive 18-0 mark in 2011.

"We have a solid veteran team," he said. "We have the same people as last year that won it all plus the addition of two talented freshmen. We've been winning most of our matches 5-0. We have to stay focused."

The members of the girls’ tennis team compete all year either in tournaments or club play. He attributed the success of the program to their dedication outside of high school matches.

"A lot of schools put everything into football and baseball," Kissel said. "We always had coaches that are good in all the sports. The administration puts a lot of emphasis on having the best. The students see that and they respond to that. We don't have a lot of blue chip players, most of our kids are playing above their level, and that says a lot about them."

In boys tennis, Marist is ranked seventh in the state with a mark of 7-3.

On the soccer field, the boys team, which has an overall mark of 12-2-1, slipped from the top spot to No. 3 after consecutive losses to Westminster and Peachtree Ridge.

The girls are currently undefeated at 13-0. The Lady War Eagles also rank third in the state; however, they moved up from the No. 4 position.

With 10 years of Directors Cup dominance under its belt, Marist has distinguished itself as one of the premiere athletic programs in Georgia. The spring sports teams are poised for another deep playoff run and look to cap things off with a championship banner at season’s end.

 "We've been fortunate and we have a great combination. We have a great work ethic with our young people, both boys and girls, said Marist athletic director Tommy Marshall. "Our coaches have been here a long time and do a great job. The parents are super supportive. Those are the ingredients you need to be successful."