Greene County High School hires new soccer coach

Greene County High School announced last week via social media the hiring of a new soccer coach.

Former Lake Oconee Academy girls’ soccer coach Jacob Baxley will take over and run both teams next year. He recently spent the last two seasons coaching the girls’ team at Clarke Central High School in Athens. Baxley returns to the area to try and rebuild Greene County’s program.

Baxley told Lake Oconee News that he felt he was meant to be at Greene County High School.

“The process began a couple of months ago. I just felt that I was meant to work at Greene County, almost like a calling,” Baxley said. “I feel like Greene County is where I am supposed to be, so I reached out to inquire about the open positions, and then it just came together from there.”

Greene County’s programs have struggled over the last decade, so Baxley hopes to rebuild them. The former Lake Oconee Academy and Clarke Central coach also wants to establish a culture.

Baxley wants to lay the foundation next year and build on it in the future. Baxley wants his players to buy in and work hard so the Greensboro community can have a soccer program to be proud of.

“There isn’t a single secret or action to creating a successful program, and it’s a complex process. However, there is a plan in place,” Baxley said. “A primary goal will be establishing team identity and culture. These are two pivotal pieces, especially in soccer where mentality is so important.”

Baxley believes Greene County has good soccer players and wants to make each team competitive. He knows it won’t be easy but has confidence his players will succeed in the long run. 

“Being a competitive team, regardless of how successful past seasons have been, requires everyone to have the mental strength and work ethic to buy into the process. We must strive to be the best in everything,” Greene County’s new coach added. “But beyond belief, we will have to work harder than our opponents - in training and games, which requires desire, dedication, and discipline.”

Baxley wants to implement a “style of play” that best fits his players. He wants them to buy into his system of hard work in the offseason and feel comfortable on the pitch when the season starts.

“We will identify our strengths and address our weaknesses as a team and individuals,” Baxley said. “Lastly, we can’t focus solely on the results - as wins and losses are often out of our control. We can only prepare and execute to the best of our ability and then see what happens. Regardless, I am confident that we will field competitive teams next spring at Greene County High School.”

Baxley began his career as an assistant coach at Lake Oconee Academy. He took over for athletic director Chris Ingle and helped build the Lady Titans’ program before moving on to Clarke Central. Baxley went 18-16-3 at Clarke Central the past two seasons, with a playoff appearance this year.