By Kyle LoJacono
The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) released its Academic Team Champions for winter sports, which include boys and girls basketball and soccer, wrestling, girls weightlifting and competitive cheerleading.
Teams with a combined grade point average (GPA) higher than 3.0 were ranked against others within the same classification. Sunlake appeared five times on the list, more than any other area school, followed by Wiregrass Ranch with four.
“Like most schools we emphasize the importance of academics as well as athletics,” said Bulls athletic director and boys soccer coach David Wilson. “Most of our coaches keep track of their athletes throughout the year through grade reports or on line. If any of my athletes’ grades drop below a 75, then I am notified. We speak to the athlete then get them extra help if needed.
“Wiregrass Ranch also has academic coaches, who are teachers that volunteer their time, who work with athletes from certain teams if help is needed,” Wilson continued.
The Wiregrass Ranch girls soccer team also had the highest GPA of any squad on the list in the area.
“I’m very big on academics first,” said Bulls first-year girls soccer coach Erin Dodd. “I check grades almost daily for the girls and if they’re slipping they have to fix it quick, whether with tutoring, after school help or just plain doing the work to begin with.
“I always try to get them to understand that if they can’t get things done in the classroom, then there won’t be an opportunity to play or do anything outside of it,” Dodd continued. “With so many of the girls wanting to play college soccer, or even just go on to college, they have to have their priorities straight and that starts with their education.”
No other area school except Wiregrass Ranch and Sunlake had a team on the list. Additionally, no competitive cheerleading squad made the cut.
Wiregrass Ranch and Sunlake teams on the list include:
Boys basketball
Sunlake had the seventh highest GPA of any 4A program at 3.163. No other area team made the list.
Girls basketball
Wiregrass Ranch topped all area schools in 4A, posting a 3.398 GPA, the eighth highest in the state. Sunlake came in 10th with a 3.348 GPA.
Boys soccer
Sunlake had the 10th highest GPA at 3.220 of all Florida 4A schools. Wiregrass Ranch’s 3.193 was the 12th highest.
Girls soccer
The Wiregrass Ranch squad had the fifth highest GPA of any 4A school, at 3.543. That is the best finish and highest GPA of any area team on the FHSAA list. Sunlake came in at 3.362, which was the 15th best 4A team in the state.
Wrestling
Sunlake was the only area school to make the list in wrestling, finishing with the seventh best GPA of any 2A school. The Seahawks had a 3.071 GPA.
Girls weightlifting
Wiregrass Ranch was the only area team listed for girls weightlifting, which has only one classification. The Bulls had a 3.402 GPA, the seventh best in Florida.
