WS Chronicle

SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Come this fall there will be a new player on the high school sports scene in Forsyth County. Faith Academy Christian School, a private school which began operation this past September, will field athletic teams for the 2016-17 year. The school plans on participating in football, basketball, wrestling, track and field, golf and baseball for boys. It also plans to offer golf, basketball, track and field, softball and tennis for girls.

“We realize those are ambitious plans, but, with God’s favor, we plan on putting those teams on the field,” said Sam Davis, who is spearheading the effort. “There is such a need for this in Forsyth County because most schools don’t know how to deal with the total student-athlete. The academic progress of our students is falling woefully short and most school personnel don’t have a clue about how to deal with our children’s overall needs.” Davis, who has been a coach for more than 35 years, said he plans on drawing from past experiences to make his new project work.

Davis “I remember when I started the football program at LIFT Academy,” he said. “A lot of people said we wouldn’t be able to get it off the ground, we’d be too undisciplined to win and that we would be a rag-tag operation. But God smiled upon us and we proved them wrong. We went 8-2 our first year and had one of the best football teams in the county. But more importantly, we were able to reach a group of kids who people thought were unreachable. All of my players graduated and 20 of them went to college during my first two years.”

Just as was the case with the program at LIFT, Davis is literally starting from scratch.

“We don’t have one piece of equipment at this point,” he said. “But we have a burning desire to help kids academically, athletically, socially and spiritually. With all that going for us we’re going to be hard to stop.”

Faith Academy Christian School is enrolling student pre-K – 12 for the upcoming school year. Although tuition will be required for all students, Davis said it is affordable for all families. “With the new legislation, everyone can afford to attend the school,” Davis said. “We urge anyone with an interest to call and we can provide resources to help. Finances should not be a problem for anyone who wants their children to attend a school where the total well-being of the student is our focus.”

Davis, who is also an ordained minister, said he hopes to connect with his for-mer students and athletes to help Faith Academy work.

“There are hundreds of former students and athletes in Forsyth County whose lives I might have impacted in one way or another,” he said. “They know who I am. They know the principles I stand for and the standards that I required them to maintain. I am appealing to them to support this mission.”