Every spring season at North Atlanta High School brings new energy and new opportunities for athletes to prove themselves. While varsity teams are often led by upperclassmen, a few standout underclassmen step into the spotlight very soon. Making immediate success early on in the season, these underclassmen prove that age is no barrier to success.
North Atlanta’s baseball program is one of the most competitive spring sport at the school, so meeting the requirements from a young age is quite impressive. Sophomore Cal Williamson is in his second year of varsity baseball as a crucial player for the team. He is a left-handed pitcher with an impressive fastball speed topping out at 85mph. Having skills for his age certainly helps him stand out, but having the right mindset and knowledge of the game is what makes Williamson stand out most. Williamson was shocked when he earned his spot on varsity freshman year and even more surprised at the role he ended up playing. “I went from expecting to come out of the bullpen maybe once a month to finishing as #2 in the state,” Williamson said.
North Atlanta’s Track and Field program has a very large number of athletes on the team, so standing out as a freshman is a huge deal. Jayden Doe is a freshman on the team, and although he is the son of Coach Doe, the Head Track and Field Coach at North Atlanta, this doesn’t undermine his talent at all. He ran a time of 7.39 in the indoor 60-meter dash at the Wanda Lee Memorial Invite in January. That time is currently the 5th fastest in school history, and it also qualified him for New Balance Nationals next month. Doe has the potential to run a sub-11 in the 100m as a freshman if he continues to put in work. “I’m new to track, but speed is in my genes as both my parents ran at Clark Atlanta University,” he said.
North Atlanta’s soccer program is highly competitive, and this year, there was only one spot available for a freshman. Class of 2029’s center mid Reese Benner was the lucky one to get it. Benner plays club soccer at Georgia Soccer Academy, and this year she took it especially seriously, knowing North Atlanta Soccer was approaching. Although she wasn’t that surprised, she made varsity, and it didn’t take away from the accomplishing feeling at all. “Everyone is very nice and welcoming,” Benner said. “They seem happy to have me there.”
As the spring season is kicking off, Williamson, Doe, and Benner are proving that talent and dedication matter more than age. With years ahead of them, these underclassmen are just getting started and their futures look bright.
