Some people believe “the Harambe Incident” was a monstrous act orchestrated by the devil himself, whereas some believe it was justified process that was blatantly necessary. The same can be said for North Atlanta’s shift from a 5A sports region to the more prestigious, advanced 6A group. After several years in the 5A division, North Atlanta felt it was time to move its entire athletic program to the next level. Was the athletic program’s decision to move to a new region a big win or catastrophic blowout? Only time will tell.

North Atlanta’s sports programs are growing and although some minor flaws still exist, North Atlanta’s recent success appears to have ushered in an era of heightened aspirations in the athletic department. “I think we will be good this season. There will be some challenges, but our team is united and strong. We will do well,” said varsity football junior kicker Alejandro Marin.

After the girl’s varsity soccer made it to the State Quarterfinals and Boys Cross Country won second at the APS Championship in 2016, the 5A region seemed to be no better than a region full of novice teams compared to North Atlanta. Taking the Warrior’s North Atlanta’s current winning movement into account, it seems the move to the 6A Region has been a suitable development for North Atlanta.

“I think we moved up regions because our swim team has experienced a huge growth in participation and talent in the past few years,” said senior Zeke Day, a leader on both the swimming and lacrosse teams. “Our performance at state, most notably our third place finish in the men’s 200 freestyle relay, has really showcased our growing talent.”

Although Day speaks specifically for the swimming team, could it be accurate to apply this logic to all Warrior teams? This is the daunting task that Athletic Director Andre Regan is setting himself upon.

So, we all know: “Harambe incident was “bad.” But whether North Atlanta’s region shift to a new region is good or bad will remain to be seen in the years to come.