The girls soccer team started their season on Friday Feb. 6 with a 2-0 win in an official scrimmage against Alpharetta. They play Lovett on Feb. 9 in a non-region away match. This season marks a new era of Midtown girls soccer, as new head coach Doug Altizer takes over the program and the team works to adjust to losing eight graduated seniors.
The Knights finished last season first and undefeated in region play for the fifth consecutive year. However, postseason advancement hasn’t seen the same success. Last season, the team lost in the Sweet Sixteen to Blessed Trinity, who went on to win the state championship. Junior Ari Brownlee, now entering her third year on varsity, said the arrival of Altizer has opened the door for change.
“Having a new coach this year provides so much room for improvement and an opportunity to go much further,” Brownlee said. “Being coached from a new perspective that specifically targets our weaknesses will be great. I am super excited for the change in pace and I think that Altizer will be great for the team.”
Senior captain Eve Nahmias agrees and said Altizer has already been a refreshing and positive change for the team.
“I think having a new coach will help us have more disciplined and organized practices,” Nahmias said. “So far, we’ve all enjoyed our new coach and are super excited for all the progress ahead of us.”
Altizer has coached soccer for over 25 years, most recently from 2021 to 2024 at Decatur High School, where he was named Georgia 5-AAAAA Coach of the Year in 2024.
“I’ve been coaching at the high school level off and on since 1998,” Altizer said. “I’ve also coached at the club level, including elite teams at Tophat, Chiefs and The Bay Oaks in California, so I’ve worked with a lot of different players and environments.”
Altizer said that coming in, he knows he must be patient as he adjusts, but he is focused on creating growth on both a technical and group level.
“Coming into a new program, I need time to assess and get to know the group,” Altizer said. “I’d like to see this team become really cohesive in their understanding of our system and unified in their effort from top to bottom.”
While the team lost eight seniors, 15 players from last year’s varsity roster are returning, along with five players being moved up from junior varsity and one freshman joining the roster.. Nahmias said this continuity makes the team stronger than ever due to long-standing friendships and experience playing together.
“The team chemistry builds each year, so even when we lose valuable players, we’re able to compensate through hard work and connection,” Nahmias said. “Every year, I feel lucky to play with such great athletes on and off the field.”
However, Brownlee said that despite strong chemistry, the postseason has and will continue to be a challenge because of the team’s lack of tough region competition.
“Oftentimes during the season we play games that don’t really test us, and then we’re bombarded with tough playoff games we aren’t prepared for,” Brownlee said. “This season we really need to focus on practice and challenge each other to make each girl the best version of themselves for the playoffs.”
Altizer said he wants the team to develop throughout the season and be at the highest competition level. He has three main goals to assess at the end of the season.
“I want the team to be competitive with the best teams in the state,” Altizer said. “Second, I want the team to progress in skill and effort, and finally, I hope the group reaches its potential. Ideally, this group will play in a way that lets us dominate possession and dictate tempo.”
Nahmias said the expectations are similar to the past years, but she believes the team can exceed them in ways it hasn’t before.
“I think we can be just as, if not more, successful than past years,” Nahmias said. “We’ve been first in the region every year I’ve played, and I hope we can keep that streak alive. I also think we have a really good shot at state if we keep up the hard work.”
