Pruitt first arrived at Lakeside in 1977, and started a long career of teaching and coaching that would last until 2014. In 1983, Pruitt was named head coach of the varsity baseball team and led the Viking’s to their first state playoff appearance in school history during his inaugural season.Along with baseball, Pruitt also served as an assistant coach in basketball and football during his tenure at Lakeside. He left Lakeside to teach and coach at Rockdale County from 1987-92 and returned to DeKalb County in 1993, leading Southwest DeKalb to two state playoff appearances in 1994 and 1995.Pruitt then took over as head coach for the inaugural Stephenson High School baseball program in 1997.Pruitt spent four years at Stephenson, eventually landing at his final stop at Redan. As one of the top baseball powers in the state, Redan rose to even greater heights under Pruitt’s leadership as he skippered the Raiders for 14 seasons, winning the school’s first and only state championship in 2013 and posting a 291-129-2 record. He finished his career with 510 victories over 31 years as a head coach.
Gilcrease, Class of 1978, was a two-year varsity letterman in baseball and soccer. During his senior season, he helped the Vikings take home the 1978 soccer state title.After graduating high school, Gilcrease went on to play baseball at Mira Costa Junior College. There, he hit .421 and was an All-State shortstop. Gilcrease transferred to Auburn University following his freshman season and continued to flourish on the diamond.During his senior season, he hit .386 and set the school’s single season record for extra-base hits (41) and homeruns (17) which led the Southeastern Conference. In 1982, he was named Auburn’s Male Athlete of the Year.Gilcrease was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 7th round of the 1982 MLB Draft and played for five years in their Minor League Farm System. For the past 30 years, Gilcrease has spent his time with the Athletes in Action, a CRU ministry. 27 of those years were spent as the official chaplain for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers football franchise.He remains married to Stephanie, his wife of 29 years, and together they have six children.
The Lakeside High School Sports Hall of Fame is dedicated to honoring the rich history and achievements of high school athletes who graduated from Lakeside High School in Atlanta, Georgia.
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