Prep Announces New Coaches
https://unionrecorder.com/localsports/x234161498/GMC-Prep-announces-its-new-coaches MILLEDGEVILLE 鈥� A minor facelift took place for Georgia Military Prep School recently, as the Bulldogs have announced the replacements for John Griffin, head girls basketball coach, and Athletic Director Garry Couch, also softball and baseball head coach, who announced their retirements earlier this spring.
GMC Prep chose Steven Simpson to follow in the footsteps of legendary Couch as athletic director, as Simpson plans to continue to promote character and bring in new ideas to help the school continue to improve athletically.
鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting, but it鈥檚 also nerve-racking at the same time,鈥� Simpson said. 鈥淎t GMC, we鈥檙e a school of character, and we want to continue that, and we want to make more of a difference in the community. We want to try and build our sports programs by doing all the right things in the classroom and on the field.鈥�
The first steps to improving the athletic program for the Bulldogs will be the addition of new coaches.
GMC Prep will see new looks in the future on the diamonds as Allen Simmons and Julie Brooker will take over the helm of the baseball and softball programs next season.
Simpson is believes it helps that Simmons has already coached for GMC Prep under Couch, having already built solid relationships on and off the field.
鈥淐oach Simmons, having been here for a couple years, he already has relationships with some of the kids,鈥� Simpson said. 鈥淏eing a new face for the school, I think it鈥檚 going to be exciting.鈥�
For softball, Simpson believes the addition of Brooker will be exactly what the Lady Bulldogs need to continue their long line of success as well.
鈥淪he鈥檚 been very successful everywhere she鈥檚 been,鈥� Simpson said. 鈥淚 think Coach Brooker, with a new outlook, might be able to push the buttons a certain way to get them to the next level, and I think she鈥檚 going to do a great job.鈥�
While both programs have experienced much success in the past, both Simmons and Brooker plan to bring new ideas to the teams.
鈥淪omething I鈥檇 really like to do is take the kids to Florida for a few days during spring break, so you know, they鈥檙e not missing out on all the vacation, but we鈥檙e still playing baseball,鈥� Simmons said.
As a former baseball assistant coach under Couch, Simmons says that because GMC Prep is already an established baseball team in the state, there is not much need for total reconstruction.
鈥淭he good thing about Coach Couch being here is he laid a foundation, so there doesn鈥檛 have to be a total 180 turn. We can build on what he鈥檚 already put in place,鈥� Simmons said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to get in some tournaments this summer and play a lot of games and get in a lot of practice.鈥�
Brooker, who led her teams at the Westfield School in Perry to four region championships and two state runner-up performances will transition from coaching softball in the Georgia Independent School Association (GISA) to the Georgia High School Association (GHSA).
鈥淚 really, really liked what I saw at the school [GMC Prep] as far as the facilities and the people. I came away thinking this could be a good opportunity,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hat really interests me was my first opportunity to move over to the GHSA from the GISA. The biggest challenge is going to be learning the field of competition.鈥�
Also joining the staff in the fall will be Kevin Furtado who will take over head coaching duties of the women鈥檚 basketball team.
鈥淗e鈥檚 very energetic. He鈥檚 been coaching for a while, but he鈥檚 got tons of wins and region championships,鈥� Simpson said. 鈥淔rom everything I鈥檝e seen, I think he can establish that relationship with the girls and get them to that next level.鈥�
Furtado, who will be coming to GMC Prep from Union County High School in Morganfield, Ky., brings a wealth of experience to the Lady Bulldogs, after coaching women鈥檚 basketball for 22 seasons and doing well at the state level.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to play an exciting brand of basketball 鈥� basketball where it鈥檚 going to be fun to watch. You鈥檙e not playing for the crowd, by any means, but you have to play a certain style that creates a lot of excitement so people will want to come and watch,鈥� Furtado said. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited about the opportunity. It鈥檚 going to be fun.鈥�
With many new faces on staff, the Bulldogs approach the upcoming seasons with optimism and excitement.
鈥淭he GMC athletic program across the board has been improving. Bringing in the new coaches adds something new, and it just creates some excitement,鈥� Simpson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot of change, but sometimes change is good.鈥�
