If there was a vote among the coaches as to who was the best female athlete at Bryan County High School odds are it would be someone other than Reese Raeburn.
If those same coaches were also polled as to the one athlete they wanted on their team Raeburn would more than likely be one of the top picks if not the top pick.
Raeburn is an excellent athlete, make no mistake about it. She plays volleyball, soccer, flag football and was a game day cheerleader in football.
But Raeburn brings more than ability and talent to the table.
She’s one of those athletes which every team needs in that she brings all the intangibles that coaches look for, i.e., she’s a leader, good in the locker room and a great teammate.
“She’s a great kid,” said Coach Kristen Barnhill who has coached Raeburn in volleyball, soccer and flag football. “She’s just out there…she’s a bulldog out there.
“She wants to work hard, she wants to win, she’s competitive but she’s not going to put winning above everything,” Barnhill said. “She’s a great teammate, she’s multi-talented, a smart kid, very well rounded.
“And, she won Miss Bryan County High School.”
Raeburn and the Redskins (4-7, 3-5) are chasing a playoff berth in soccer for a school record third straight year. While the odds look good, a win in one of their two remaining region games—they play at Metter on Friday before finishing region play on April 8 at home against McIntosh County Academy—would seal the deal.
“Our record could be a little better,” Raeburn said. “We had a really good year last year but we lost some talented players and we’ve got three or four freshmen playing this year.”
The fact Raeburn brings a sense of joy and enthusiasm to her teams will come as no surprise to anyone who knows her mother, Liz Raeburn, who is now Director of Secondary Curriculum and Instruction for Bryan County schools after being the principal at BCHS.
Liz Raeburn is one of the most enthusiastic and positive people you’ll ever encounter and her passion has obviously carried over to her daughter although she had to be coaxed into playing soccer by Barnhill.
“That’s right,” Reese said with a laugh. “When we moved to Savannah (her father Erik was head football coach at Savannah State 2015-2018 and is now head coach at Gannon University in Erie, Pa.) my sister and I were in gymnastics.
“When you do gymnastics, you don’t do any other sport,” Raeburn said. “It’s a year-round sport. It’s not something you can do in the fall and then pick up in the spring. You have to do it and continue doing it.
“I decided in sixth grade I wanted to play volleyball and other sports.”
It was in volleyball where Barnhill, an assistant to Melissa Adams, spotted Raeburn and recognized her ability and talent. She approached her about playing volleyball and fortunately for Barnhill she took the bait.
“My sophomore year she had to convince me,” Raeburn recalled. “I had never played soccer but all my friends played and they got me interested, too. Coach Barnhill told me they needed me so I decided to play.”
Barnhill couldn’t be happier with Raeburn’s decision. What she has meant to the team, Barnhill said, can’t be measured in wins and losses.
“She’s made an impact,” Barnhill said. “She’s improved so much. We would definitely have a big hole without her.
“She’s the first to celebrate with you and the first one to pick you up if you’re feeling bad about yourself. She’s the ultimate teammate. It’s been a joy to coach her in three sports.”
And what about that Miss BCHS contest. The mention of that brought a big smile to Raeburn’s face.
“It was so fun,” said Raeburn, who will be attending the University of Georgia this fall. “That was my first ever pageant. My friend Braleigh (soccer teammate Braleigh Thurston) convinced me to do it and I won!”