Fitzgerald High School College and Career Academy (Georgia)

Fitzgerald High School College and Career Academy
Address
601 West Cypress Street Fitzgerald , Georgia 31750 United States
Coordinates	31°42′33″N 83°15′40″W
Information
Motto	"Graduation for all students is the key to our future, and requires a commitment by all students and teachers."
Opened	1973
School district	Ben Hill County Schools
CEEB code	111280
Principal	James Sirmans
Staff	10
Faculty	60
Grades	9-12
Enrollment	831 (2016-17)
Color(s)	Purple and gold
Slogan	'Investing In Futures"
Fight song	"Notre Dame Victory March"
Sports	Region 1, AA Division of GHSA
Team name	Purple Hurricanes
Rival	Irwin County Indians
Accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Website	Fitzgerald High School

Fitzgerald High School College and Career Academy (FHSCCA) is the local high school in Fitzgerald, Georgia, United States. A part of the Ben Hill County School District, it serves students in grades 9-12. As of 2011 its principal is James Sirmans. Fitzgerald High School is currently involved in the Title I Plan.

Athletics

Fitzgerald High School College and Career Academy competes in the Class AA division of the Georgia High School Association in football, cross country (boys' and girls'), softball, competitive cheerleading, basketball (boys' and girls'), wrestling, riflery, baseball, track (boys' and girls'), soccer (boys' and girls'), tennis (boys' and girls'), competitive weightlifting, and golf (boys' and girls'). Sports teams are known as the Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes, or simply the Canes. The Purple Hurricane Athletic Department also fields football cheerleading and basketball cheerleading squads.

The Fitzgerald Purple Hurricane Athletic Department won the Georgia Athletic Director Association's Region Director's Cup for the 2015-2016 school year. The Purple Hurricanes compete in Region 1-AA, which consists of Albany High School, Berrien County, Brooks County, Early County, Fitzgerald High School, and Thomasville High School.

The Fitzgerald Purple Hurricane Athletic Department staff includes David Sims (Athletic Director), Tucker Pruitt (Head Coach of football), Jason Wicker (Assistant Head Coach of football and Head Strength Coach), Neal Burkhart (football), Jesse Lynch (football and MS soccer), Will Oliver (Head Coach of 9th grade football and assistant coach of baseball), Jason McDonald (Head Coach of baseball), Andy Dent (football and boys' soccer), Katy Calhoun (cross country), Chris Hubert (9th grade football and track), Jim Avera (football), Derrick Smith (Head Coach of softball), Michael Hobby (track), Elvin Anderson (girls' tennis), Randall Shoultz (Head Coach of track and football), Roger Merritt (Head Coach of wrestling), Christy Jacobs (competition cheer), Abby Holt (JV football cheer), Autumn Bridges (football cheer), Lauren Berry (basketball cheer), Michael Heitzman (boys' soccer and girls' softball), Derrick Arrington (Head Coach of boys' basketball and football), Earl Brown (Head Coach of girls' basketball and track), Mallory Eubanks (girls' basketball assistant), Alan Sandifer (head of JV baseball), Luke Rinair (Head Coach of JV softball), and Jarrett Yarbrough (boys' tennis).

Band

The FHSCCA band is currently run by Robert Lawrence. The previous band director was Jonathan Kelly and before that was Avery Cooper. The Fitzgerald Marching Canes membership has grown to over 112 members and has won many awards.

Past accomplishments

FHSCCA has won four state championship weightlifting titles under the direction of coach Mike Booth.

Under Angela Davis, the FHSCCA competition cheer team won a cheerleading state championship in 2005. The "Purple Girls" have won 15 consecutive region titles.

The Fitzgerald Purple Hurricane men's track team won four consecutive state titles (1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991). In 2015, the FHS men's track team finished as the state runner-up.