Erie Royals football players - winning on the field starts in the classroom

There's a transformation taking place at Erie High School that may be currently undetectable but as the winds continue to blow the changes will be evident. The athletes at Erie High are not only broadening their skill levels and abilities on the gridiron but also improving their skills in the academic arena — which will carry them much farther than their athletic skills.

Under the guidance of their coaches — Andre Henderson, Terro Jackson, and Allan Jones — and Program Director Rausaan Powell, MBA, great strides are being made in preparing Erie High athletes for life today and after sports.

More:With full offseason under coach Andre Henderson, Erie High looks for bounce-back season

The program was presented by Powell to the Executive Director of the Booker T. Washington Center Shantel Hilliard for feedback initially. He loved the idea and through some coordination with Edison Nicholson and his Life is Greater than Violence initiative was able to provide funding to initiate the program. This program was developed and initiated by veteran educator Powell and was launched on Sept. 14th. Five Erie School District teachers were solicited and volunteered to instruct the students using the math and English curriculum as well as helping to identify other areas of academic concern for the student-athletes. Coach Henderson, Coach Jones, and Coach Jackson provided daily inspiration, supervision, and transportation for the student-athletes.

The program designated as "Royal Academics" is housed at Erie High School. Players must obtain/maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher to be excused from the "study table." Once they achieve the required standard, they are excused from the program. If their GPA again falls below 3.0, they are required to return to the table.

The Erie Royals football team had over 25 students deemed ineligible at the beginning of the football season in August. By the season's end in October, zero students were ineligible. Out of the initial 20 student-athletes attending the study table, 14 of them have a current GPA of 3.0 or higher. Currently out of more than 100 athletes involved in the Erie High football program only 28 have a GPA below 3.0. Academics have been made a top priority in the Erie High football program.

Inclusion talks are been held to include the Erie High basketball, track, and wrestling teams in this growing program. The goal of this endeavor is to include every student athletic team at Erie High and eventually even include the middle school student-athletes of the Erie School District. College prep, clearing house education, proficiency in math and English, overall tutoring, and teaching appropriate social etiquette are the major focal points of this program.

Often only the negative aspects of athletics and the athletes' behavior are reported in the media. I applaud these young men who are shaping a future for these student-athletes beyond the football field, basketball court, wrestling mats, and track field. These student-athletes are understanding the importance of academic success and the long-term benefits that accompany it. We as a community need to aid and support all efforts to change the trajectory of life for Erie students and make Erie a welcoming place in which may be live and continue their road toward success.

Johnny C. Johnson, a retired Erie School District teacher, author and historian, first published this in The Erie Voice. 

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: For Erie student-athletes winning on the field starts in the classroom