CSRA Crusaders' baseball program going through adjustment period

The CSRA Crusaders homeschool baseball program is undergoing changes that include the departure of its head coach.

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The Crusaders will field teams with a designated coach at the middle school, junior varsity and varsity levels. Best 9 Sports Academy has partnered with the Crusaders and will provide an indoor training area and all the coaching the teams will need.

Best 9 Sports Academy owner Robbie Wachman will serve as the Crusaders manager. The Crusaders have a deal with Masters City to use its fields to play home games.

Crusaders director Mac Bryan said the other top homeschool programs in the country use similar facilities, and that this new deal would make them more competitive on a national level.

"We've been in the top 5 in the nation for the past three years," Bryan said. "Our goal is to be the best homeschool program in America. We just feel like taking the program over to Robbie, with his leadership, that we're going to be able to achieve those goals."

Chileno Valdez, who coached the Crusaders during the past three years, is leaving to start a baseball program at Evans Christian Academy.

"He did a super job for our program," Bryan said. "We are very thankful for the time, and the energy, and effort, and everything he put into our program. He took our program from a program that could not compete to a program that was one of the top teams in the nation."

The Crusaders will hold an interest meeting at 7 p.m. on Oct. 5 at Best 9 Sports Academy, on Flowing Wells Road in Martinez, for players in middle school and older interested in playing. Tryouts are scheduled Oct. 21-22 at 4 p.m. at Masters City.

Tyson expected to return to Wolfpack

Greenbrier running back DJ Tyson should be back Oct. 2 for the Wolfpack's home game with Union Grove.

Tyson's head slammed the turf when the Wolfpack played Lakeside on Sept. 11. He was down on the field several minutes before his neck was stabilized and he left the field on a stretcher.

Tyson's father, Rod, said his son spent the night at Medical College of Georgia for observation and was released the next day. DJ Tyson suffered a bruised neck and was told to sit out two weeks.

Tyson, a junior, has received a scholarship offer to play football at Division I Eastern Michigan.

Greenbrier plays Douglass on Friday, following a bye week.

The Wolfpack lost to Lakeside, 26-0.

Greenbrier coach Brian Smith said the down week gave his team the chance to work on some new things.

"Everything we saw on film is fixable," Smith said.

"I think we'll come back against Douglass with a new attitude."

Harlem announces Top Dog awards

Harlem football has started the practice of awarding its top players each week from each unit.

Award winners from the Greenbrier game Sept. 4 were Zach Morris (offense), Brandon Jenkins (defense) and Taylor Camp (special teams).