TVPSA: Bridge Gap Between Academics And Athletics

MADISON- Founded in 2016, the Tennessee Valley Prep Sports Academy is helping bridge the gap between academics and athletics for those not able to play sports in college or those unable to obtain the necessary academic requirements to play collegiate sports. The post-high school program puts student-athletes in an athletic program while having to attend fulltime classes at Calhoun Community College with the hopes of a player obtaining offers from larger schools and progressing through life and reach their dreams.

“Characteristics and leadership skills have risen for those who have joined our program as we create a highly effective academic and athletic environments for these young student-athletes,” said Mirael Parker-Davis founder and executive director. “Our teachings help each individual to seek and achieve the necessary values in life to be responsible and self-sustaining citizens in our community.”

The Tennessee Valley Prep Sports Academy (TVPSA) currently host teams in football, basketball and baseball. In the just completed 2018 football season, the Defenders made it to the championship game of the Southern Atlantic Post Graduate Conference where they fell to Birmingham Prep 18-10 with the deciding winning score coming with two minutes remaining in the contest held in Birmingham.

The Defenders interim head coach Zek Parker, a former player at Athens High, University of Louisville wide receiver and in the NFL, said the team played as well as possible in the season where they posted an overall record of 6-3. He added, “We had 20 players quit midway through the season when we had a coaching change, but the 40 players who stayed played lights out and deserved to succeed. Our starting quarterback broke his collar bone in game four so we looked to Bryant Scruggs to come in and take over the position. He went 4-1 and got us to the title game.”

Two of the outstanding players for the Defenders this season were running back Jaylen Williams, a graduate of Bob Jones, and Omar Brown of North Jackson High.

Williams recently received a scholarship offer to attend Fort Valley State while Brown at defensive back had several offers come his way due to his play this season and is leaning towards signing with the University of Idaho.

“We had a great season and our program is building and will help a lot of young student-athletes,” said Parker.

The TVPSA gives players a chance to improve their academic standing and playing skills in hopes of being noticed by colleges or universities that they normally would not receive. Each student-athlete must maintain a 3.0 grade point average. Some receive financial aid and workout to where they pay for much of the $3,500 cost to partake in the program. The majority of the parents help pay for the program and some sponsorships have assisted, as well.

“I’ve also paid a lot of the expenses out of my own pocket as I want these kids to be able to attend our program and have an opportunity to grow,” said Parker-Davis, who works as a contract administrator for the University of Alabama-Huntsville (UAH). “Many of these young people come from broken homes and need somewhere to go. Many of them live in a dorm atmosphere as they are housed in local apartments. Many of them have jobs while attending school.”

The Defenders beat three undefeated teams including the defending national champs on their way to the conference title game. The roster includes former students from local schools Bob Jones and James Clemens. All-Conference First Team members from TVPSA included Williams, Malik Talley and Skylar Boyd on offense, Brown, Trey Harris and Keshi Waddell on defense and Andres Espinosa and Dee Lawson on special teams.

Parker-Davis was given the Director of the Year Award for her leadership and assistance in making the inaugural season one of success and hope for the future. The program includes volunteer high school coaches, an active board of directors and superb help from many of the parents of the players.

For Parker, he, too, came from similar situations as these current players. He was rated the No. 1 wide receiver in Alabama coming out of Athens High, but couldn’t pass the necessary academic test for college. He sat out a year and regrouped his study habits to finally lift his grades to where he was able to make it to college at Louisville.

“My motto is to finish what you started and we put these kids on a schedule for football and school and kept them focused leading to success,” said Parker.

With the basketball season currently underway for the TVPSA, the program will host a baseball team in the spring. With more players expected to be joining as the year goes on and sponsorships to match, the TVPSA will build relationships like no other in the Tennessee Valley and continue bridging the gap between academics and athletics.

Complete information on the program is available at www.tennesseeprepsportsacademy.org.