Apalachee football head coach Tony Lotti was awarded with one of the Georgia High School Association's (GHSA) Inspiration Awards due to his uplifting journey from brain surgery to a return to coaching on the field in 2022.
Lotti was also named the Atlanta Falcons Coach of the Year at the Falcons’ Community Honors Night Monday. He will be up against 31 others for the NFL Coach of the Year Award.
“In May, Coach Lotti had surgery to remove a brain tumor,” Apalachee assistant coach Jordan Adams said. “After stays in the intensive care unit (ICU) and the hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina, Coach Lotti returned to our team and has battled through pain and fatigue all while maintaining a normal schedule of full-time coaching and teaching on a daily basis.”
Partnering with Wild Adventures, the award goes to the person with the most moving and motivating stories, according to the GHSA website. The award is motivated by the Disney Wild World of Sports Spirit Award, presented annually to college football's most inspirational individual or team.
Lotti was one of four recipients of the award, joining Ola’s Abby Tatum, Elite Scholars Academy’s Tyler Brown and Cambridge’s Will Petit. Lotti was recognized for the award Saturday, Dec. 10 at the Center Parc Stadium during halftime of the 7 p.m. game.
Over 40 people were nominated for each award, spanning student-athletes, coaches, athletic directors, administrators or supporters. .
Apalachee’s record may not imply a successful season, but looking deeper, there’s more to the story for the Wildcats.
“Even though our season may not be viewed as a success through a win-loss perspective, Coach Lotti has shown our players, student body, coaching staff and community that our circumstances never dictate our principles,” Adams said. “As a former player of Coach Lotti, and now in my seventh year a part of his football staff, I have known him to always put the needs of the student-athletes above the needs of his own.”
“Watching the leader of our football program battle on a daily basis coming off of brain surgery, to still lead, grow and develop our young men has been inspiring to watch and be a part of,” Adams continued. “I feel that Coach Lotti is more than deserving of this award for the inspiration and the example he has set and continues to set on a daily basis for our football program, school and community.”
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