2021_EastPauldingProgram.indd

ATH L E T I C DIRECTOR East Paulding High School Athletics Department 3320 East Paulding Drive Dallas, Georgia 30157

I welcome you to the 2021 football season at the Bone Yard! Friday nights offer communities a traditional time and place to congregate and support their students. The Paulding County School District has worked diligently towards a safe return to in-person learning and extra-curricular activities for the 2021-22 school year. The Covid-19 pandemic has affected our District, and the opportunities of our students, in many ways, but we are committed to doing everything we can to recover and improve any discontinuities in your student’s education. Although academics are our #1 priority, extracurricular activities assist with building teamwork, fair play, sportsmanship, self-esteem, and school spirit. We must intentionally give students experiences that are about more than just the game and instead are relevant to real life. All stakeholders involved in our program are on a mission to develop the “whole” player. We will impact young people’s character, academics, and athletic development in a team’s atmosphere. The goal is to operate a program at its highest level with the belief that great teams will follow. Student- Athletes will leave East Paulding a Champion for Life! If you are a parent attending a high school athletic event this fall, you can help by following these guidelines: • Act Your Age. You are, after all, an adult. Act in ways that makes your family and school proud. • Do Not Live Your Life Vicariously Through Your Children. High school sports are for them, not you. Your family’s reputation is not determined by how well your children perform on the field of play. • Let Your Children Talk to the Coach Instead of You Doing It for Them. High school athletes learn how to become more confident, independent, and capable—but only when their parents don’t jump in and solve their problems for them. • Stay in Your Own Lane. No coaching or officiating from the sidelines. Your role is to be a responsible, supportive parent—not a coach or official. • Remember, participating in a High School Sport Is Not About Getting a College Scholarship. According to the NCAA, only about two percent of all high school athletes are awarded a sports scholarship, and the total value of the scholarship is only about $18,000. • Make Sure Your Children Know You Love Watching Them Play. Do not critique your child’s performance on the car ride home. Participating in high school sports is about character development, learning and having fun—not winning and losing. You can have a major influence on your child’s attitude about academics and athletics. The leadership role you take will help influence your child and our community in the future. We look forward a tremendous year in athletics and sportsmanship in all the East Paulding High School activities. We appreciate your support!

Andy Dorsey Director of Athletics East Paulding High School