Clarke Central High School sophomore Henry Payne (left) and his brother, senior Grady Payne (right), pose during the ODYSSEY Media Group Spring Media Day on Feb. 9. Grady has played on the CCHS boys varsity soccer team for three years, while Henry has been with the varsity team for two years. “It’s my last year of high school, so I really enjoy getting to play with my brother, and it’s always special if one of us scores a goal,” Grady said. Photo from the ODYSSEY archives
CCHS boys varsity soccer player Grady Payne has spent his final season at CCHS playing on the same team as his brother Henry.
Brothers Grady and Henry Payne are the starting centerback and striker, respectively, for the Clarke Central High School boys varsity soccer team. Together, they are the Gladiators’ sword and shield.
The 2025 soccer season will be Grady’s third season on the varsity soccer team and Henry’s second season. For the past two years, head varsity soccer coach Chris Aiken has coached the brothers and seen them work together.
“It’s a really unique and cool experience to see brothers get to share being members of the soccer team, and not only (be) members, but to be two of our best leaders in the program. Grady is a senior captain (and a) vocal leader of the team, and then obviously, Henry’s talent speaks for itself, (he) scored in nine consecutive games,” Aiken said.
A juxtaposition shows Clarke Central High School senior Grady Payne and his brother, CCHS sophomore Henry Payne, posing during the OMG Spring Media Day on Feb. 9. Henry has been playing and competing with his brother on the CCHS boys varsity soccer team for two years. “If we’re on different teams in practice, we’ll guard each other, (and) we’ll try and not let each other do what the goal of the drill is so that we can win,” Henry said. Photos from the ODYSSEY archives
CCHS sophomore Isham Koons has been on the varsity team for two years, and has witnessed the cooperation between Henry and Grady during games.
“(Henry and Grady) just build off each other in-game. They know each other’s strengths well, so they just build off what they know (the) other can do,” Koons said.
While they might cooperate during games, practices are a different matter. At the team’s after-school practices, the two brothers – often playing on opposite sides of the ball in small-sided training games – are always competing with each other.
“We’re always trying to do better than each other or beat each other. Sometimes we’ll just rough up on each other, but it’s always fun and laughs at the end of the day,” Henry said.
“(Our competitiveness) comes out in anything in life. We’re just both very competitive. It doesn’t matter if we’re playing a sport, a board game, anything,”
— Grady Payne,
CCHS boys varsity soccer player
The brothers’ soccer connection extends past Billy Henderson Stadium, however. Grady and Henry have each been playing soccer for more than a decade. Both started their journeys at the Athens United Soccer Association, with Henry – born in 2009 – sometimes playing up one or two age groups, including a season on Grady’s 2007 team.
A young Grady Payne (left) sits on the steps of his childhood home with his little brother Henry (right) wearing Athens United Soccer Association jerseys. The brothers have played soccer for most of their lives. “If we’re going against each other, usually things get pretty competitive, because that’s how it’s always been our whole life. Things can get intense,” Grady said. Photo courtesy of Grady Payne
Henry has since moved on to playing for the North Atlantic Soccer Association in Atlanta, but the camaraderie – and competition – have remained.
“(Our competitiveness) comes out in anything in life. We’re just both very competitive. It doesn’t matter if we’re playing a sport, a board game, anything,” Grady said.
As a senior, the 2024-25 school year is Grady’s last at CCHS and his last playing alongside his brother. The pair hope to extend their last dance as long as possible.
“(My hopes are) to win as many games (and) have as much fun as possible, hopefully go far in playoffs and just for (Grady),” Henry said.
