If you are a soccer fan and are in Waleska Georga, it’s an absolute must that you visit Reinhardt College. They have some of the best men’s and women’s soccer teams in the state and the games are an experience you don’t want to miss. 2009 was a crazy season for the soccer teams at Rheinhardt College. Several members of the men’s soccer team were honored with post awards by the AAC (Appalachian Athletic Conference). They had one First Team All-AAC selection, one all-conference pick, one third team All-AAC player and seven players chosen to the all-academic team. Not bad for a little college in northern Georgia.

The area of Waleska was originally Cherokee territory. An early settler, Lewis W. Reinhardt, became friends of the Native Americans. The area grew with the slow and prosperous growth of cotton and tobacco. Reinhardt’s friendship with the Cherokee people was so great that, when the Trail of Tears migration forced the native peoples to leave the land they loved and live on a reservation; Reinhardt took the name of Warluskee, the daughter of a local Cherokee Chief as an honor name for the town. It is a fine tribute to a nation of people that once called the area home.

Reinhardt College exemplifies the strength of character and the same belief in fair play of their ancestors. Their motto is the whole person approach; for development of mind, body and philosophy. Alumni are often found returning back to Reinhardt College, because, it changed their lives. Very few small colleges offer the intensity of sports balanced with such high academic standards and the arts. The people of the area are proud of their college and support them in every way imaginable. Soccer games are one of the favorites and the local sponsors line up to position themselves on the soccer scoreboards.

A soccer game at Reinhardt is an experience that can’t be conveyed. With such top of the line teams, attendance is astounding. You had better get there early if you want to see the game. Once you sit down, the electricity is contagious and you immediately start looking at the soccer scoreboards. The team members don’t let any of the recent honors go to their heads. They are completely focused on the concept of team playing and winning. It is the tight knit interaction of the Reinhardt soccer team that make them one of the best. They have honed their craft to a fine art and almost know the intended play of their fellow members before it’s even made. Every team member knows they have had a past year filled with successes and let downs. They have set their goals on making the next year even better.

There is a great level of stamina, perseverance and dedication at Reinhardt College. Maybe it’s the locale but more probably it’s the vision of those at the college. Reinforced by a grounded society, the students that learn and play at Reinhardt College are of an excellence that will change the world.