Rubama: Grades matter. That’s a local organization’s message to football players.

Growing up, my mother always stressed the importance of an education.

So much so that she used to tell me if my grades weren’t where she thought they should be, I wouldn’t play sports.

And it wasn’t an idle threat.

While I was in middle school, my grades slipped below her standards and she held me out of sports for that season.

Tough? Yes, but it was a lesson learned.

Recently, The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press recently named their All-Tidewater football teams.

Those athletes were honored for their exploits on the football field.

A day after the team was released, I received an email from Antoine Corbin, who is executive director of Player Resources Education Preparing Skills Inc., or PREPS.

The purpose of the group, a Virginia non-profit public benefit corporation, is to increase football players’ college attendance and graduation with an emphasis in STEM programs.

In 2015, the group honored top high school football players each week based on their performance on the field.

But their vision changed a few years ago when they started recognizing athletes with their PREPS All-Academic Football team. To be named to the team, athletes from the Eastern, Southeastern, Beach and Peninsula districts must participate in at least five games during the season and have a core grade-point average of 3.0 or better.

“It’s important for us because one of the big drives is to stop the stereotypes about athletes,” said Corbin, who played football for Norview High in Norfolk, followed by 20 years in the military. “If you don’t have that career in athletics, but you got those grades and that STEM background, then you’re going to make some money and have a prosperous life. That’s why we push that.”

To my delight, several kids from our All-Tidewater team were honored by PREPS, including 2023 Abe Goldblatt All-Tidewater Player of the Year recipient Au’Tori Newkirk.

When I talked to him about the honor, he was excited.

“Knowing that I was picked, it just makes me feel like I’m on the right track,” said Newkirk, who led Maury to the Class 5 state title and was named the state Class 5 Offensive Player of the Year. “It means I’m maintaining the label of a student-athlete, and being a student first.”

I asked Newkirk who pushed him academically and he said his mother, Natoya, who told him, “If I can’t maintain good grades, I won’t be on that field.”

Warwick linebacker I’ziah Emery was named first-team All-Tidewater and first-team all-state. The junior finished with 111 tackles but also has a 3.5 grade-point average.

“This honor means a lot to me because it’s hard work to be a student and an athlete, and student comes first,” he said about being named to the PREPS All-Academic Football team. “It’s special to me because it shows my hard work to do both.”

Emery, like Newkirk, credited his parents for his success. His mother, Tiffany Mason, is a school teacher. And his father, Kevin, played football and basketball for Heritage High in Newport News.

“It’s the best of both worlds,” Emery said.

Both parents were overjoyed in learning that their son was honored.

“Z winning this award is special to me because it shines a light on how dedicated he is with balancing academics and sports,” Kevin said. “I don’t just want to see him win on the field, I want to see him win all the way around in the game of life.”

“It feels good to know that the sacrifices I make for my children are not going in vain,” added Tiffany. “I’ziah is the oldest of three kids, so I do expect a lot out of him. I have always made sure that he knows that education is priority number one. I’m just grateful that he has always met my expectations when it comes to maintaining his grades and achieving his football goals.”

Heritage senior Derrick Gurley was impressive on both sides of the ball for the Hurricanes. He compiled 2,249 all-purpose yards and 18 touchdowns at quarterback. He also had 70 tackles, two interceptions and a sack on defense.

What’s more impressive, however, is he’s an honor student with a 3.97 GPA.

He was named All-Tidewater, all-region, All-Peninsula District and was named to the PREPS All-Academic team. Prior to these honors, he had never been recognized before, “so to receive it my senior year feels pretty good,” he said.

He said successfully balancing academics and athletics has given him a strong foundation for the future.

“Being a student-athlete is as tough, if not tougher, as having a job as a student,” he said. “You practice on a strict schedule while having your classes to attend to every day. To be able to succeed in both is a challenge. However, overcoming that challenge is a wonderful feeling and it isn’t temporary. Being a student-athlete gives you life skills that you will carry for the rest of your life. It teaches you time management and accountability. Being a student-athlete is a great asset to have in life. Always remember that student is first.”

King’s Fork senior Malachi Nixon earned all-region honors in football this season and was named to the PREPS All-Academic Football team.

“I always work hard in the classroom,” said Nixon, who is looking at several colleges and has an offer from Elizabeth City State University. “(The award) means a lot to me. It’s important because a lot of student-athletes aren’t students first, they’re athletes first. This just shows that you can be a student before an athlete.”

Being named to the PREPS All-Academic Football team is very special to Nansemond River senior Alkendric Overton.

During his freshman and sophomore years, he barely had a 2.0 GPA, but this year alone he’s had straight A’s.

On the football field, he had nearly 3,000 all-purpose yards and 37 total touchdowns as a dual-threat quarterback and was named second-team All-Tidewater and first-team all-state.

“It means a lot and feels good knowing I was able to do good on the field and in the classroom,” said Overton, who now has a 3.5 grade-point average.

He said he turned his grades around because he wanted more out of life and had “people around me in my corner who wanted to see me succeed.”

This is what Corbin and board members William H. Robinson III and Dominique Abbott envisioned when they started the All-Academic team: to push athletes in the classroom.

“We don’t have any sponsorships. It’s all out of our pockets,” said Corbin, who also conducted seminars at Kempsville, Nansemond River, Ocean Lakes, Booker T Washington and Green Run high schools. “This is a way to stay in touch with football while also giving back to the community.”

Larry Rubama, 757-575-6449, larry.rubama@pilotonline.com

PREPS All-Academic Football team

Beach District — Octavian Young (Bayside), Gage Trefry (Cox), Kyler Edwards (First Colonial), Knahlij Harrell (Green Run), Richie Bogart (Kellam), Cade Edison (Kempsville), Avir Johnson (Landstown), Noah Colon (Ocean Lakes), Tavin Whitehead (Tallwood).

Eastern District — Roberto Inniss (Booker T. Washington), Jaelen Schiewe-Alston (Churchland), Christian Post (Granby), Tyrell Grant Jr. (Norcom), Au’Tori Newkirk (Maury).

Peninsula District — Marsay Philson (Denbigh), Austin Halterman (Gloucester), Mack Jones III (Hampton), Derrick Gurley Jr. (Heritage), Maxie Russell (Kecoughtan), LaDarius Adams (Menchville), Emery D’Urso (Phoebus), I’ziah Emery (Warwick), Jerel Butler (Woodside).

Southeastern District — Amir-Wray Hill (Deep Creek), Demiko Pitts (Great Bridge), Malachi Nixon (King’s Fork), Alkendric Overton Jr. (Nansemond River).