approximately 784 people. Growing up in a place with limited access and resources shaped my perspective early—and instilled in me a deep belief that opportunity must be intentionally created for young people, not assumed.

I am the youngest of six children, raised by two pastors who built our home on faith, discipline, and strong values.

While my parents did not have the financial means to pay for college educations, they were intentional about providing us with healthy environments, a strong foundation in God, and access to mentors—especially coaches—who believed in us. In a town as small as Faison, those relationships mattered. Through athletics, doors opened for me that I never could have imagined as a child, and those opportunities forever changed the direction of my life.

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Those early experiences shaped my calling. I am living proof that faith and sports can coexist to transform individuals, strengthen families, and impact entire communities. What I was given through sports and mentorship became the foundation for everything I would later build.

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I went on to earn an athletic scholarship and play college basketball at University of Richmond—an opportunity that would not have been possible without athletics. That scholarship opened doors to higher education, leadership development, and a future that otherwise would have been out of reach for me. It reinforced my belief that when young people are given access, structure, and belief, sports can become a powerful pathway to opportunity and long-term success.

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I later went on to coach for more than 17 years at the collegiate level, including stops at University of Virginia, Western Kentucky University, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Clemson University. Coaching at these institutions allowed me to compete at the highest level and work with elite athletes, but more importantly, it gave me a front-row seat to how mentorship, accountability, and belief shape young people far beyond the game.

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During my time as a college coach, I began to notice a troubling shift. Many athletes were losing hope in their future. They struggled to see pathways forward and began turning to unsafe spaces to fill the void—spaces that did not push them to become more than what they could physically see. Watching this unfold made one thing clear to me: intervention had to happen earlier.

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In 2016, God placed a clear vision on my heart—to create a safe, structured environment through sports where children could belong. An environment families could trust. A place that reinforced the values being taught at home while teaching life skills that extend far beyond the field or court. The goal was never just to develop athletes, but to develop people in a faith-driven setting that builds character, confidence, and hope.

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In 2018, that vision became a reality in Anderson, South Carolina. What began with just 8 families and 9 children looking for an environment where their kids could thrive grew to 133 children in just 12 months. The impact on the community was undeniable. Academic achievement among participating students improved by 35%, confidence increased, and young people began to believe that life-changing opportunities were possible for them.

Hope Sports Academy was born out of that transformation.

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Before Hope Sports Academy existed, many children—especially those from communities like the one I grew up in—faced a lack of safe places, unstructured time, limited access to mentorship, positive role models, and spaces where they truly felt they belonged. Hope Sports Academy exists to change that reality.

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What makes Hope Sports Academy different is simple but powerful: we develop people. Sports are our platform, but character, mentorship, faith, and life skills are our mission. We help young people excel in the classroom, gain confidence in who they are, and begin to dream beyond their circumstances.

 

By investing in the whole child, we believe families are strengthened, communities are transformed, and futures are changed.

This work is deeply personal. It is faith-driven. And it is rooted in the belief that every child—whether from a town of 784 people or a major city—deserves access to a safe space where they are challenged, supported, and reminded that their life has purpose.