Area players set for Point change

Randy Douglas always likes coming back to the Chattanooga area, where he played soccer at Tennessee Temple University and lived another 13 years before leaving to coach at Atlanta Christian College.

He returned Monday to drop off a few things at SCORE International, under whose auspices he’ll be taking his women’s team to Costa Rica in late July. By then ACC will have a new name, Point University, and a year after that it will have a new location.

It’s going from Point to Point along Interstate 85, basically following an old railroad route from East Point, Ga., on the southern edge of Atlanta to West Point on the Alabama border. In fact, the soccer field and some of the other athletic facilities will be across the line at Valley, Ala.

The main campus will be the former West Point Pepperell world headquarters.

“The building there is bigger than our three largest buildings combined now,” Douglas said. “It’s a beautiful place and it’s in great shape. We’re landlocked where we are now, and we can’t exist the same size.”

With the new name going into effect July 1, the school is adding football with former Auburn and NFL player Kevin Porter as coach and athletic director. Jennifer Perkins is leaving the Lee University staff to start a Point softball program.

The school has been accepted into the NAIA and is joining the Appalachian Athletic Conference, which includes Bryan College and Tennessee Wesleyan. Douglas was an assistant coach at Bryan for two years after heading the Temple men’s program for five.

“Exciting times down here,” said Douglas, who coaches both soccer teams and had an exciting time in that role Monday at Dalton High School. That was the real reason for his trip, in fact — signing boys’ midfielder Rene Real and Lady Catamounts midfielder Nery Martinez.

Douglas was accompanied by assistant coach Saula Franca, who played for him at Temple and followed him to Bryan.

“Rene is a workhorse with a great attitude,” Douglas said. “While we may have signed some better skilled players over the last four years, we may not have signed a more important player as we make our transition into the NAIA and AAC. He will be able to play at that level right away.”

Martinez played for an East Ridge Express club team loaded with college signees.

“I started recruiting her after watching her play at the Nike Norcross Cup back in December,” Douglas said. “When I saw her play I knew she would be a perfect complementary player at forward next to [Christian college second-team All-American] Wendy Mendoza. I expect these two to put up big numbers this fall.”

Douglas earlier signed Dalton goalkeeper Julie Parham, whom he plans to use in the field. Her versatility is her prime asset, he indicated, and the fact she is a proven keeper adds to her value.

Douglas also has signed Southeast Whitfield outside midfielder Chris Salaises, who “battled through some injuries with his ankle and was able to contribute” to the Raiders’ run to the Georgia Class AAA final four.