Clarke Central High School boys head junior varsity coaches Augie Koons (left), Thadd Pruitt (right) and CCHS boys head varsity coach Chris Aiken (center) pose in Billy Henderson Stadium in the bleachers on Feb. 4. Pruitt and Koons were selected as the boys junior varsity soccer head coaches for the 2024-2025 season. “(Thadd and Augie) were great assets to my team, but now, I’m even more thankful to have them back to help the next generation,” Aiken said. Photo by Iliana Tejada
During his tenure as CCHS boys varsity soccer head coach, Chris Aiken has built a team culture so strong that former players return to join his coaching staff.
The late afternoon sun sets below the horizon, casting shadows over the soccer fields of Clarke Central High School. On the sideline, CCHS head boys junior varsity soccer coaches Augie Koons and Thadd Pruitt guide their players through drills.
Just a year ago, they were the ones running these same drills as seniors. Now, they’re leading the next generation under the mentorship of the man who coached them.
Pruitt and Koons, now University of Georgia freshmen, played four years of high school soccer at CCHS, three and two years respectively on varsity under boys varsity soccer head coach Chris Aiken. For them, the decision to return as JV coaches for the 2024-25 season wasn’t just about their love for soccer but about carrying forward the culture Aiken has built over his 13 years at CCHS.
“All four years of soccer here were so fun. I wanted to come back and give other (kids) that (same) experience,” Koons said. “Getting another chance to be a part of this program is great and (to) be around this again is exciting.”
Uche Onunkwo, former player and head boys junior varsity coach, plays in the 2018 Classic City Championship against Cedar Shoals High School in Billy Henderson Stadium on April 7, 2018. Once a key player for the Gladiators, Onunkwo watched from a different perspective as a coach. “It was cool coming back (to) see your own stomping grounds. That’s my home,” Onunkwo said. “It was nice being in a different position (and) seeing the kids where you used to be.” Photo from the ODYSSEY archives
Since becoming the head boys varsity soccer coach in 2012, Aiken has created a program built on structure and discipline. From his Sunday emails outlining the week’s itinerary to the strict expectations in practices to pre game preparations for all players–whether star players or rotation options–his approach fosters accountability and consistency.
“It’s never the big things that make or break a season,” Aiken said. “It’s doing the little things right every day. (Many) players over my 13 years have appreciated that (structure) because (it) has come with a lot of success. (That culture) keeps growing each year.”
Koons says that Aiken’s structured approach has made a lasting impact on him not just as an athlete but also as an individual navigating academics and life.
“I know (the effects of the structure) from just the difference between fall season (at Athens United Soccer Association)–the club season–and spring season,” Koons said. “The structure of everything we did here had me a lot more focused with everything. I wanted to do better (in my life) and get all my schoolwork done.”
Pruitt and Koons are not the first former Gladiators to return to coach under Aiken’s program. Most recently, Uche Onunkwo, a CCHS Class of 2020 alumnus, coached JV for the 2023-2024 soccer season. Like Pruitt and Koons, Onunkwo wanted to coach to give back to the program that shaped him.
“(CCHS soccer) is a great organization and (it’s) nice to be around Coach Aiken,” Onunkwo said. “The No. 1 reason (I came back was) if you act a certain way, you know what’s going to happen. If a star doesn’t come to practice, you’re not going to play. (Aiken) has set rules, and adheres to them. It doesn’t flex.”
Onunkwo, Pruitt and Koons are the latest in a growing tradition of former players returning under Aiken. In total, six former Gladiators have come back to join his staff. In 2018, five years into his tenure, Aiken welcomed back his first former player, Cole Wilson, as a JV coach. Four years later, Tristan Trevino and Gave Arcos joined as varsity assistants, continuing the cycle.
“I’ve been fortunate a lot of my players have stayed or moved back to Athens. I (have always) found a way to get them involved–JV or varsity,” Aiken said. “A lot of them (use) that role to build on their resume and (move) on to bigger things. I look forward to continue building (that).”
“(The team) is an extension of family. You spend so much time with these kids–we see each other 16-20 hours a week. It might be more time than I spend with my own kids.”
— Chris Aiken,
CCHS head boys varsity soccer coach
The impact of JV as a foundation for varsity is clear for current players. Isham Koons, a sophomore who played under Onunkwo last year before being moved up to varsity mid-season, saw firsthand how the program prepares players for Aiken’s system.
“It’s fun to see all these alumni coming back to coach junior varsity,” Koons said. “They know what Coach Aiken wants (and) what he expects. They know how to really train kids and develop them.”
The Clarke Central High School boys varsity soccer team poses together before the 2024 varsity soccer Classic City Championship against Cedar Shoals High School on Feb. 10, 2024. Thadd Pruitt and Augie Koons (second and third to the right, bottom row) played their final year at Clarke Central in 2023-24, experiencing the camaraderie that defined their time in the program. “(Coach Aiken) always told us this was the most fun we’re going to have (and that) you’re going to miss it. You can go talk to any of my former players–they all miss it,” Koons said. Photo Courtesy of CCHS Men’s Soccer
Aiken’s influence extends beyond tactics and game-day preparations. His players describe the program as a second family, a sentiment reinforced by the hours they spend together.
“(The team) is an extension of family. You spend so much time with these kids outside of the classroom. Typically, a practice is almost an hour, 45 minutes, five times a week. So, you’re with these kids a minimum of almost 10 hours a week. Then you have bus rides. That’s another additional four hours a week, plus the game time. So, sometimes we see each other 16-20 hours a week. It might be more time than I spend with my own kids,” Aiken said.
For Pruitt and Koons, the trust and chemistry they built over the years playing together didn’t end with their final game. That same bond led them to become roommates at the University of Georgia, carrying their shared experiences beyond high school and into college life.
As Pruitt and Koons step into their leadership roles, they are not just preserving Aiken’s legacy: they are becoming part of it.
“You can achieve on-field success and pat yourself on the back, but getting to know that you impacted someone and using the experiences that you gave them to benefit their own life is very rewarding for me,” Aiken said.
