First Presbyterian Day School (FPD) proudly welcomes Robby Watson to Team FPD as Strength and Development Coordinator.

In his new role at FPD, Mr. Watson will be working with FPD coaches to design strength and conditioning programs as well as leading all strength and conditioning classes to improve students’ individual performance. 

“Every coach and student-athlete on our campus will benefit from his attention and instruction on a daily basis,” Athletic Director Greg Moore said. “We’ve sought to fill this role for years, so finally getting the right person on board to benefit all of the girls and boys in our athletic program is a great moment for Viking Nation.”

Born and raised in Macon, Mr. Watson graduated from FPD in 2016. He played baseball, wrestling, football, and track and field.

Mr. Watson spent two years at the University of Southern Mississippi throwing shot put, discus, and hammer, before transferring to the University of Memphis. He completed his undergraduate degree in Kinesiology in 2020, and earned his master’s degree in Sport and Leisure management in 2022, from the University of Memphis. While at Memphis, he served as a YoungLife College leader, worked part-time as a trainer at a local gym, earned multiple all-conference honors, and finished as an All-American in the hammer throw.

In 2022, Mr. Watson moved back to Georgia to marry his high school sweetheart, Elizabeth Copelan, who taught 3K at FPD for two years. They moved to Watkinsville, Georgia, where Mr. Watson worked as a full-time trainer at Core Blend Training.

While he was at Core Blend, he trained middle school, high school, and collegiate athletes, as well as, adults looking to improve their fitness. He was also responsible for programming and managing group classes with a focus on high school students.

“I’m excited to join Viking Nation because of the people that I am going to be working with,” Mr. Watson said. “I graduated from FPD and was coached or taught by the people that will now become my co-workers. I love that I get to join a group of like-minded Christ followers who are on a mission to lead the next generation.”

Mr. Watson expressed his love of FPD as a student, an alumnus, and now an employee.

“I plan on building on the athletic tradition by instilling the same values that were instilled in me by my coaches and mentors,” he said. “Hard work, discipline, integrity, and a God-honoring attitude. I will use my education and experience in the field to develop training that will take us to another level while building relationships to earn the right to be heard. If it is God’s will, that tradition will be winning, and I’ll do my best to get our athletes ready to do so.”