Last week at Joiner Field, the GAC Community came together and honored Cliff and Kristy Shelton for their combined 86 years of dedicated service to generations of Spartans. Cliff and Kristy have made an incredible impact on campus through their roles as teachers, coaches, mentors and administrators.

Kristy Shelton has served as the Lower School PE teacher for more than four decades, instilling a love of movement and teamwork in our youngest Spartans. In addition to her classroom role, she spent 18 years as Head Softball Coach, leading GAC to five state championships, and 16 years as Head Volleyball Coach, amassing 450 wins and guiding the program to four Final Four appearances.

Cliff Shelton taught Bible and Health for 32 years and served as Head Baseball Coach for that same span, leading the Spartans to 13 region championships, eight Final Four appearances, and a total of 578 wins. His remarkable career makes him the all‑time winningest high school baseball coach in Gwinnett County history.

For the past eight years, Cliff and Kristy have also served together as Assistant Athletic Directors, sharing wisdom and guidance with coaches, administrators, students, athletes and families across our athletic department. In honoring their legacy, Dr. Scott Harsh noted, “For 43 years, Cliff and Kristy Shelton have embodied the heart and soul of GAC—teaching, coaching, mentoring, and inspiring generations with passion, faith, and unwavering dedication. From the baseball diamond, softball field and volleyball court to the mission field, from PE and Health classes to lifelong impact, their legacy is woven into the very fabric of GAC. They truly bleed red and gold, and their influence will be felt for decades to come.”

During the ceremony, a multi‑generational GAC family presented a generous gift in the Sheltons’ honor, enabling us to dedicate the spectator stands at Spartan Baseball Stadium as “Shelton Stands.” A new plaque now bears the inscription: “Shelton Stands, in honor of Cliff and Kristy Shelton, serving 43 years at GAC. Hebrews 12:1(b): Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” This dedication ensures that every game played and every cheer heard from these stands will celebrate the enduring legacy of Cliff and Kristy Shelton.