Ross study table program turns football players into 'mega student-athletes'
A weapon on a football team is a player who can outrun coverage, battle an opponent for a catch or make defenders miss.
Fremont Ross has a few of these players, including senior Elijah Simms. He loves to catch touchdowns as an athlete, but he'd prefer to receive an A or connect on a project, paper or presentation to help maintain his 4.0 GPA.
Ross urban intervention specialist Alysha Nye's new study table helps the Little Giants score big on the field and in the classroom.
"There's a list of who has 3.5 or above in the locker room," said Nye, who is eligibility and academic advisor for the football team. "The boys got excited. They bought in. They wanted to be on the list. They come in and tell me about their grades, and they're on the list.
"That's rewarding. They want to be student-athletes. I'm hoping the boys continue to care so much about grades."
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One player from each class is designated each week as an academic weapon. They must be on the locker room list.
The Little Giants who impress Nye by improving a grade or acing a test receive a T-shirt.
"Last year was a guinea pig year," she said of the program. "Fifty-nine of 77 were honor roll. Academic All-Ohio was a first for the football team. That's a big deal. I wasn't sure how it would work and if they'd buy in. There are 77 grades to track.
"We ironed it out, and it went smooth. We went for it, and it seems to work."
Nye provides a study table on Tuesdays from 3:30-5 p.m. If a player has an F grade he must attend, but those who miss work or are doing well and want to remain diligent are more than welcome.
"You miss practice until you catch up," coach Chad Long said. "She took it to a whole other level than I ever expected. We went from 3.63 to 3.81 [GPA]. She doesn't stop when the season is over. She does the Clearinghouse. Letters of reference.
"Helping parents. She's turned our student-athletes into mega student-athletes. It's the best thing to happen. If we can make these kids student-athletes, they'll have better opportunities to be successful in society and get a college degree with a scholarship.
"It's vital and very important to me personally, to be able to say we did everything we could to help these kids be successful as student-athletes."
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The top 22 grades among players in the top three grades are submitted for all-state academic consideration. This year's programs have yet to be determined.
"Winning games is great … we had three kids offered by military academies last year," Long said. "To turn around and do better, amazing. It's better than any win, any award. It's credibility in developing student/athletes. Academic weapons."
Long wanted Nye aboard enough that she gets one quarter of one of six stipends Long has for assistants. Neither cares about the money but it's a notable sacrifice overall.
"If I could give more I would, she deserves it," he said.
School board president Tom Price and Long have a board of education meeting presentation planned for this month.
"The goal is to have her expand to all athletes," Long said. "My goal is for first period to be study table for all athletes. It's beyond football. It needs to be done. The reputation and culture we're trying to develop is for all kids."
Many of the Little Giants sincerely love Nye. They trust her and respect her.
"She has a passion and love to help kids," Long said. "I've known this. She's responsible. She coaches track. The kids, my two daughters gravitate to her. She's special. This is her passion. She's so modest. I want her to be recognized for her success developing student-athletes.
"I preach it, she does it."
Attending class wasn't a priority for Elijah Ysaguirre two years ago.
"He didn't miss school," Long said. "He has a 4.0. Creating academic weapons helped his attitude. That's the most exciting thing they look at."
The academic weapon standard was a 3.0 GPA last season. Forty-three kids meet this year's 3.5 requirement.
"Chad is good about preaching they're student/athletes and grades come first," Nye said. "That's what we're trying to instill. You can be good at football, but you can't play without the grades. A lot of them have bought in."
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The list provides the Little Giants with another avenue to compete and grow.
"Academic weapons is cool," senior Dominic Brown said. "I like to think I'm humble. A lot of the guys are, but they do enjoy attention. Not just using your head on the field, but use your brain and academics come first.
"Sometimes I'd be a little behind, we found out about [academic weapons] and we tried to get our GPA up and it helped me stay on top of things and not forget. It pushed me to be a student-athlete, not go to school to play football.
"I prioritized my academics."
Nye is also helping to develop role models.
"I want to be a strong individual that people can look up to, especially my little brother," Brown said of sophomore Tyress Brown. "He has so much potential. I want him to be able to look up to me. Like, 'That's my brother.' That's important."
Nye, who aspires to be an academic advisor for athletes at the college level, doesn't design plays or identify tendencies or demonstrate technique. In many ways, she does all those things for Little Giants success outside of games.
"It's fun to get to know the football team," she said. "Team dinner on Wednesday. The kids consider me one of the coaches. It all goes back to them."
mhorn@gannett.com
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This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Alysha Nye helps Ross football earn academic recognition from OHSAA
