Trinity Christian Academy Baseball
Nominated by: DeAnne Maples
As the two-time FHSAA Class 1A Baseball State Champions, the Trinity Christian Academy (TCA) Eagles are thrilled to join Team Allen as a 2010-2011 ?Dress the Champions? honoree. We recognize that ?Dress the Champions? is a ?dream-come-true? for any team and we don?t take that honor lightly. We strive to pay-it-forward by representing Team Allen in an all-star fashion on the field, in the classroom and around the community and it is for this reason that TCA would like to be considered for ?Dress the Champions? for 2011-2012 season.
What makes TCA the ideal recipient for this honor? At first, our story doesn?t sound much different than any other high school program these days — we practice hard, we play to win and we do so with very little funding. But that?s not the entire story ? you see, we?re a private school and many people believe that funding is never an issue at private schools, but that?s not the case at TCA. TCA is a small, low-income Christian school in a community that is seeing some of the highest foreclosure rates in the country. A large percentage of TCA students qualify for free-or reduced-meals and they attend private school only with the help of federal funding. Additionally, TCA has very little alumni return and so donor support remains low. Yet even with funding issues, TCA recognizes a great need for athletics programs and they?ve worked tirelessly to transform the athletic department in the last few years and their efforts are certainly noticeable. In fact, the TCA Varsity Eagles baseball program has made a Final Four appearance four times and every year since 2008, including winning the Class 1A State Championship in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Of course the transformation is exciting to see, but it comes with some struggle, too. We?ve endured huge expense acquiring equipment and getting our facility to a playable condition. We rely on monies made from our small concession and though our alumni/fan base is growing, we still lack the financial assistance that many established programs count on each year. Therefore, an opportunity like ?Dress the Champions? is a Cinderella-story of sorts.
In closing, it?s been said that ?champions aren?t born, they?re made,? and that?s certainly true of TCA baseball. Sure, we?re champions ? we?ve two trophies to verify it ? but that?s not what defines our team. At TCA, we strive to impact the lives of our players in a way that builds character — mentally, emotionally and spiritually. We encourage success in all avenues of life and work hard to create college opportunities for our players. It?s been a pleasure to watch these fine, young men develop into Champions!