HAHIRA – Valwood’s Brett Martin has been named the GIAA Class AAA Athletic Director of the Year.
Release:
HAHIRA, GA – March 3, 2026 – Valwood School Athletic Director, Brett Martin has been named the GIAA Class AAA Athletic Director of the Year by the Georgia Athletic Directors Association. Coach Martin received the honor at the organization’s annual conference this past weekend.
Each year, the association recognizes outstanding athletic leaders from across the state, honoring Athletic Directors of the Year from each region as well as the overall winners for each classification.
“Few people have given more to Valwood than Coach Martin,” said Headmaster John Davis. “His leadership, humility, and dedication to our students make him incredibly deserving of this honor.”
At Valwood, Coach Martin is more than an athletic director, he is a Valwood institution. For more than 30 years, he has guided student athletes with dedication and passion. From the sidelines to the locker room, his leadership has inspired confidence, sportsmanship, and school pride in generations of Valiants.
Coach Martin joined the Valwood family in 1992 and has worn many hats during his 34-year tenure. In 1995, he was named Athletic Director, Head Football Coach, and Head Baseball Coach. He was also twice recognized as Middle School Teacher of the Year and was selected as a STAR Teacher in 1996.
Martin served as head football coach for seven seasons and head baseball coach for 18 seasons. As athletic director, he oversaw the growth of the Valwood athletic program from Class A to Class AAA. During his tenure, he helped expand the school’s athletic offerings by adding volleyball, fastpitch softball, wrestling, swimming, and boys’ and girls’ soccer.
Under his leadership, Valwood athletics has celebrated 14 state championships, 18 state runner-up finishes, and 61 region championships.
Martin also played a key role in the planning and construction of Valwood’s athletic facilities during the school’s move to its current campus in 2002 and has helped raise millions of dollars for new facilities and ongoing improvements.
In 2019, Coach Martin was inducted into the Valwood Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2023, he received the Brent Cribb Distinguished Service Award from the Georgia Independent Athletic Association; an honor considered the organization’s equivalent of induction into its Hall of Fame. Most recently, he was inducted into the Clinch County Sports Hall of Fame in 2024.
Whether mentoring athletes, supporting coaches, or building programs that endure, Coach Martin’s impact extends far beyond wins and losses. His leadership continues to shape Valwood students into confident leaders both on and off the field. Valwood School is proud to have him at the heart of Valiant athletics.
