Bowl game gives Atlanta students off-field coaching

CHICK-FIL-A BOWL

Duke vs. Texas A&M in the Georgia Dome

8 p.m., Dec. 31, ESPN

Without the help of his academic coach, Mays High School senior Jerome Smith probably wouldn’t have as many opportunities for college football scholarships.

He’s one of hundreds of student-athletes who work with academic coaches in Atlanta Public Schools each year through a program funded by the Chick-fil-A Bowl, which will be held Tuesday in the Georgia Dome.

“My GPA would be down tremendously. It’s a major difference between having a 3.0 or a 2.5 GPA,” said Smith, a cornerback who plans to visit North Carolina State University in January. “Our coaches tell us we’re students first and athletes second.”

Academic coaches work in each of Atlanta’s 11 high schools through the Play It Smart program, providing tutoring, prepping student-athletes for college admission tests, meeting with parents, planning with teachers and monitoring students’ grades.

They’ve shown results: About 95 percent of student-athletes who participate in Play It Smart graduated last year compared to the 59 percent graduation rate among all students in Atlanta Public Schools. Play It Smart was founded by the National Football Foundation, and its Atlanta operation is managed by the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

“If they don’t have their academics in line by the time they’re seniors, then being great on the football field or basketball court isn’t going to make much of a difference,” said Mary Palmer, an academic coach at Mays High who has worked with Smith since his freshman year. “When kids don’t sign with a school on signing day, I know they can still go on to college.”

Immediately after the last bell rings at 3:30 p.m. every Monday through Thursday, student-athletes pour into classrooms for study time with Palmer.

Palmer monitors the students, who are divided into classrooms by grade level, while they do homework or projects. Assistant football coaches join her to maintain discipline and give pointers. During football season, the players have to be in uniform and on the practice field by 4:45 p.m. after working with Palmer for an hour.

When students struggle, Palmer talks with their teachers and school counselors.

“They know I’m not walking in there to say, ‘Give my athlete a better grade, help my athlete pass.’ I’m walking in there saying, ‘How’s he doing, how’s his attitude, what are his assignments and what does he need to do?’” said Palmer, who estimated she assists between 135 and 150 students each year.

The Chick-fil-A Bowl contributes $180,000 a year to pay for the academic coaches, who work part time after school, during lunch hours and throughout the school day for meetings with parents and students.

“We don’t care whether these kids go to college on athletic scholarships. Our goal is to have these young men and women graduate from high school,” said Gary Stokan, president and CEO of the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

Academic coaches help students succeed academically, stay in school and prepare for college, said Jeff Beggs, athletic director for Atlanta Public Schools.

“It’s not just tutoring or study hall. They also get other teachers involved and help them work with students in classes where they’re struggling so they can succeed,” Beggs said. “We feel like they’re making a huge difference.”