As we all begin our first few weeks of school at the Academy, our BJA sports teams are also getting geared up for a new season of practices, games and tournaments. However, this year a few changes have been made in our sports management, one of these changes being the fact that we no longer have one of the most recognized parts of our NACA soccer team leading the way into our new sports season. Coach Ward, who has coached our BJA varsity soccer team for over ten years, has decided to make the change from coaching varsity soccer to middle school soccer. According to Coach Ward, the number one reason he made this switch is the amount of time he has to spend away from his family. He explained that, because coaching a sports team requires a lot of traveling for away games, he was apart from his family often, sometimes even on weekends. He emphasized, however, that it was very difficult making the decision to leave the NACA team because he loves the guys on the team so much.

Being coach of such an influential team at school has its highs and lows. Coach Ward explained that one of the most difficult parts of his job was “getting 20 guys to play the best they could as a team.” On the other hand, one of his favorite parts of coaching the NACA team was the meals they got to share together and the time they were able to spend together as a team at the tournaments. He really enjoyed the time spent building relationships within the team.

Although we are excited for Coach Ward as he pursues a different coaching opportunity, we know he will miss certain aspects of his old coaching job, such as the team’s “Lions Lunch” where they would eat at school and do hot seat questions; he will also miss the meals they had together at away games, seeing the growth and improvement of each of the players on the team, and (most important to him) hearing his players talk about Jesus. As the NACA team moves forward, and Coach Ward moves into his middle school coaching position, he still has high hopes for our team this year. He hopes the players this year will continue to be humble, work hard for each other, and help each other love Jesus and the people around them more. We’re sad to see Coach Ward leave the NACA team but excited for the future of the team and for his future as the new middle school boys’ soccer coach.