Lee, Pritchett are state winners for Positive Athlete
In each of the past 10 years, the organization Positive Athlete Georgia has set about to celebrate character by recognizing high school studentathletes and coaches
“who have overcome difficult circumstances, given back to their schools and communities in a significant way, or just have an infectious positive attitude that makes everyone around them a better person.”
Seven individuals from Catoosa and Walker Counties were named as specific sport winners from the Northwest region of the state in late April and now two of those seven have been named as statewide winners.
Ringgold senior Maddy Lee won the award for softball, while Ridgeland junior Braylon Pritchett was named the winner for boys’ alternative sports.
Lee, who was also a standout doubles players for the Lady Tigers’ tennis team this spring, was a first team AllRegion softball performer in each of the last two seasons.
As a junior, she was the Catoosa County Player of the Year and she also collected first team All-State Class 3A honors from the GACA. She batted a career-high .424 this past fall and signed to play at up-and-coming NAIA power College of Coastal Georgia.
Meanwhile, Pritchett won Ridgeland’s first-ever individual state weightlifting title in 2023 before finishing runner-up in his weight class this year. He has also been one of the Panthers’ top linebackers for the past two seasons, earning second team All-Region honors in
both seasons, and he competes in multiple events with the track team.
In addition, Pritchett was a statewide finalist for the Atlanta Falcons High School Man of the Year Award this past fall.
Positive Athlete was founded in 2011 by former University of Georgia and Pittsburgh Steeler standout Hines Ward. Over 6,000 nominations from all over the state were submitted for the 2023-2024 school year.
The state winners will be recognized at an awards event in early June.