Every athlete’s dream is to dominate at the next level, under the brightest lights. However, less than 2 percent of athletes go on to play Division I athletics. North Atlanta has been home to some of the best athletes in the state, setting up many of them to play college sports. Whether it is throwing touchdowns or fastballs, Dub athletes have taken over the collegiate scene. 

Balancing school and sports is a seemingly impossible task sometimes, but the hardest workers make it possible. For some, one sport is not enough, their competitive spirit and drive possess them to become multi-sport athletes. Former Dub athlete, Sage Glover, embodied the Warrior spirit while a student of the eleven stories, becoming a North Atlanta soccer legend and track star. She translated her skills into a soccer scholarship at Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge. Her play has been so noteworthy that the talented North graduate was recently named the SEC Freshman of the Week. During high school, she was a perennial school standout and was part of North Atlanta’s record-breaking 4 x 400 relay team. Since graduating and trading in the black and silver for purple and gold, she has taken full advantage of her opportunity on the pitch. “When I scored my first collegiate goal, the atmosphere was just perfect,” Glover said. “Celebrating with my teammates is something I’ll never forget.” 

Glover still holds North Atlanta close to her heart, keeping in touch with former teammates and coaches. She strives to never forget where she came from and how she became the athlete she is today. She says the Dubs instilled confidence and a killer mentality that led to her successes on and off the pitch. “If I could give advice to aspiring college athletes, it would be to have faith and get to work,” she said. “Be the hardest worker in the room. Be the reason someone else has to work harder.”

Glover is not the only former Dub to have success at the next level. Brendan Parks, a member of North Atlanta’s Class of 2020, the famous “forgotten class” that lost the back-end of its in-building school year on account of the pandemic. The talented pitcher’s skills were so prodigious that he first played at the next level for Seminole State in Central Florida and is currently playing baseball for Division I Kennesaw State University. Parks played varsity baseball for four seasons, the last three of which were on the varsity squad. He made an instant impact even as a sophomore, going 3-for-4 in his debut. His play merited a look from scouts all across the Southeast, bringing never-before-seen attention to the Diamond Dubs. Parks credits head baseball coach Ricky Plante with helping him greatly develop. “North Atlanta helped me prepare for the next level,” said Parks. “Without Coach Plante and my teachers, I would not be where I am today.” 

Parks is currently working to solidify his spot on a competitive KSU roster and said he thinks if he keeps working he will become a major contributor. He has already been a part of a winning culture at both schools, but that is the reward for his hard work and dedication to perfecting his craft. “I was never the biggest, fastest, or strongest kid, but no one would ever outwork me,” he said. “My biggest piece of advice would be to believe in yourself but not to get comfortable. Do whatever it takes to get where you want to go.”

Parks shared the hallways with former Dubs quarterback, Wiley Hartley. Like Glover, Hartley was a two-sport athlete for North Atlanta, dominating the gridiron and the diamond. At quarterback, he led the Warriors to their first playoff appearance since the 1990s. Since committing to Campbell University in North Carolina, for both football and baseball, Hartley has been a star for the Fighting Camels. In his first season at the helm of the offense, he threw for over 1,600 yards and 14 touchdowns, including a six-touchdown game against Presbyterian College. For Hartley, the lights can never be too bright. “I remember throwing my first touchdown against Appalachian State,” he said. “The stadium was so loud I could not hear myself think, but at that point, I did not need to.”

Hartley’s success as a two-sport athlete started at North Atlanta, a place Hartley says prepared him for the limelight. The long days of structured practices and the hard-fought battles on Friday nights developed his skill set and created his winning mentality. “I owe a lot of my success to North Atlanta,” he said. “I do not know if I would be on the path I am on today without them.” 

Whether it is on the pitch or the diamond, North Atlanta athletes, past and present, know to make the most of their opportunities. Glover, Parks, and other former Dub athletes are no strangers to the spotlight and are ready for whatever lies ahead.