HISTORY

 

The Alabama Christian Education Association (ACEA) started sponsoring sports in 1977 which makes it the longest ongoing high school Christian sports program in Alabama. Today, sanctioned, organized, competitive sports with all the trimmings highlight our sports program. Over the last 37 years, ACEA sports has grown from sponsoring an invitational end-of-the season basketball tournament to sponsoring a post season championship format for eight sports for both junior and senior high boys and girls. Eighteen champions are crowned each year.

First boys’ basketball, then girls’ volleyball emerged in the late 1970’s and were an immediate success. Baseball was added in the early 1980’s, and track and field was soon an annual event. Girls’ sports in basketball and softball were soon up and running and now have skilled players and excited followers.

For the past five years cross country has been a popular event attracting more than 100 runners each year. A record number is anticipated this year (2014).

In the last two years golf and archery got off to a good start. Interest is increasing for both boys and girls. Discussion of adding other sports, including soccer, is actively underway.  Approximately 1,000 students presently participate in ACAA sports.

ACEA sports have evolved over the years as we have reacted to growth and needed changes. We have revised the Athletic Manual every 3-5 years. For many years we were “ACEA Sports.”  Later, in the 1990’s we changed to theAlabama Christian Education Athletic Association (ACEAA). Now we are the Alabama Christian Athletic Association (ACAA).

To better serve our needs we have joined the age of new media. A well designed website, including twitter, and Instagram, is now available to better serve us. Improving the athletic certification process is a present project. And as previously mentioned, adding more sports is in the works.

Though the history and development of ACAA is always a work in progress, our goal is still the same. As an Association we continue to pursue our slogan: “working together to better serve.” As a sports league we seek to “build Christian character through athletics.”

Thank you for being a part of history in the making!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *