ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Alden Wright has one priority: success.

“I want to succeed. I want to make good grades. I want to do well in the sports I play. I didn’t want to just do them, I wanted to do them well,” Wright said.

Wright, a senior at Sherwood Christian Academy, ranks sixth in his class with a 98 average and a 4.0 GPA. He has played soccer, football, basketball, ran cross country and track and participated in mock trial. Outside of school, he is an Eagle Scout who coaches and referees youth soccer.

Finding his place

Wright transferred to Sherwood before freshman year after St. Teresa’s prepared to close. He said the adjustment was difficult at first.

“I think at the beginning, it was a crazy transition, but it very quickly kind of fell into place. My freshman year, I only played basketball and soccer, so it wasn’t as jammed as it’s been the past few years. It was a little easier to kind of transition and find my place... but I found my place very quickly, and now I feel very comfortable here,” Wright said.

With academics, athletics and community service demanding his time, Wright said staying involved is about doing what he loves, particularly soccer.

“I enjoy it! I really do! I love soccer. I’ve played it since I was 5, so it’s a mix of loving the sport and wanting to encourage the future generations to enjoy the sport. As well as yes, it is community service, but it’s fun. I get to work with those younger kids and their parents and other coaches, and the refs, so it’s not just community service, it’s enjoyable, it’s fun,” Wright said.

Lessons from the pitch

Wright said his experience playing soccer has prepared him for academic challenges.

“Soccer, for those that don’t know, each half is 40 minutes. So, it by itself is a grind. Half time is only 10 minutes, there aren’t any time outs. The clock doesn’t stop when the ball goes out of bounds. So, you don’t really get breaks. That has helped me in the classroom because the classroom is similar. You don’t really get breaks. Yes, you get to go home, but then you have homework, you have to study. And the classes I take you have to study a lot... It’s a grind. It’s a commitment. It takes time to succeed,” Wright said.

With graduation approaching and the playoffs underway, Wright said every match in an Eagles uniform could be his last.

“I’m definitely going to miss it. I am definitely going to feel something because this is the sport I have played since I was 5. Intramural in college, while it’s fun, it’s not the same thing. There’s definitely going to be some emotions, but overall, I think it’s going to be a lot of joy and just being glad I had the opportunity to play this sport and fall in love with it. I will miss it, and of course I’ll miss these guys, but overall, I am going to be happy,” Wright said.

Sherwood heads on the road Wednesday, May 20, night to face Class AA’s top-ranked team, Heritage, with a trip to the GIAA state championship on the line.

After graduation, Wright is headed to Mercer University where he plans to double major in business and mechanical engineering.

Congratulations to Alden Wright for being recognized as this week’s Valdosta State Scholar Athlete!

If you know an outstanding student-athlete, click here to nominate them.

Have a news tip or see an error that needs correction? Let us know. Please include the article’s headline in your message.

To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WALB on Facebook and X (Twitter). For more South Georgia news, download the WALB News app from the Apple Store or Google Play.

Copyright 2026 WALB. All rights reserved.