Faith. Academics. Warrior athletics.
That’s the order of importance for the mission of Westside Christian Academy, a school and sports program attached to Westside Baptist Church on Dunbar Road in northern Houston County. The SACS accredited school that began as Seeds of Faith in 2001 with only K-5th grades grew one grade year by year until finally becoming a full K-12 in 2010.
With that came a high school athletic program, and in 2011 Westside Baptist Academy was renamed Westside Christian. Now, as the 2013-14 school year approaches, the Warrior program and school as a whole are entering another new era under the leadership of new principal and athletic director Ken Price.
When the 2012-13 school year ended, Price retired from Northside High after 34 years of service in public schools. He was the head boys basketball coach for an Eagles program that won the region tournament championship the past two seasons, a Northside first. Price jumped at the opportunity to lead a school that stresses “Kingdom Education,” where the scholastic program is Christ-centered and Biblically-based, and he is free to talk about the Lord.
In all, the enrollment for Westside Christian is 150 students (there were four members total in the 2013 senior class). Warrior athletics include eight-man football, cheerleading and girls volleyball in the fall, boys and girls basketball and boys and girls soccer. The football program began in 2011 under the guidance of former Arena Football player Eric Norris, a native of Laurens County.
Price said the plans are to add tennis and cross country as early as this school year. If the school enrollment grows, baseball and girls softball are other distinct possibilities. He said the staff will poll the student-body once it arrives for the new school year on what it would like to see and what kind of interest there would be, especially for cross country (for which they would only need three members to have a ‘team’) and tennis.
The Westside Christian Warriors are also going to be part of a new athletic association formed this year called the Georgia Independent Christian Athletic Association. Based in Peachtree City, the GICAA (www.gicaasports.com) has two divisions with most of the members in Division 2. Price said its aims are to set a level playing field for the schools and promote Christian values while also staging “very competitive” athletic contests.
Home school students are also able to play in the Warrior program for a fee. Price said the academy does not offer scholarships, and that around 17 to 20 home school students are expected to participate this year. Westside Christian also offers summer camps and a youth football program in the fall.
The eight-man football home games take place five miles from the church at a lighted field at North Peach Park in Byron. The Warrior basketball program practices at Green Acres Baptist Church, and the games take place at various locations like the Middle Georgia Christian School on Thomaston Road in Bibb County and the First Baptist Church of Garmon Street in Warner Robins.
Another one of the church’s growth plans, Price said, is to add its own gym within the year.
Anita Crouch is the Warrior volleyball coach, and Paul Meadows, a pastor in Macon, is a member of the basketball coaching staff. Price said he is still deciding whether or not to be the boys coach. Robert Morse is the soccer coach.
Westside Baptist’s pastor is Mike Parker, former pastor at Unity Baptist and a graduate of LSU.
“We were looking for someone with a Christian character,” he said about Price. “But also with some skills in athletics who could provide leadership in the athletic realm but also have Christian principles.
“For us, short term (plans have) been each year whatever we can add to the program. Long term we look at having a gym facility and ball fields on the property, all the facilities needed to carry on a good program.”
“I was very surprised when I saw the football guys out there working out,” said Price. “They are very athletic and enthusiastic, decent size. We just don’t have a lot of them yet.
“A lot of them have parents who stress character, attitude, fulfilling your commitment, representing Christ, your family and the church. I don’t think we’ll have problems with discipline or unsportsmanlike conduct.”
“We want to provide a Christian environment for students,” said Parker. “At the same time we want to provide a well-rounded opportunity, which involves athletics. We know Warner Robins is a sports town. We feel our school has an appeal with the quality of education and the Christian environment. We don’t want to miss that opportunity.
“As we continue to add to the program and bring in someone like Ken to take us to the next level, we’ll provide a great athletic program. We’re excited about the stability of the school and the growth, and it is a ministry just like an Awana program, our youth program.”
The school colors are purple (the color of Divinity) and gold (the color of the King), just like LSU. Price, having a degree from the University of Georgia, stated that the UGA colors are red, black and white, red being the color that cleanses sin (black) an purifies (white) one.
THE FOOTBALL COACH
Norris played at Eastern Kentucky University from 2002-06 after graduating from East Laurens High School. The middle linebacker, after college, played Arena Football for the Lexington Horsemen (then playing in the United Indoor Football league) in Kentucky. Home games were played in the legendary home of Wildcat basketball, Rupp Arena.
From there, Norris moved into football coaching as a middle school assistant in the Bluegrass State. After one year, his wife got a job in Georgia, which enabled him to move back home. Upon returning, his search for employment landed him at Westside Christian as its first head coach.
“We started from scratch,” said Norris. “So it’s been a work in progress. We’re getting better … trying to improve. This is a football-oriented place.”
Norris’ top challenge for the last two years has been maintaining continuity on his football squad. He attributes that mainly to this being a military area where families come and go often. For the upcoming season, Norris said he does have a couple of players who were a part of that first team, so now the aim is to get more students involved early and build the team around them.
As for eight-man football (which is how Arena Football is played), the rules are the same as they are in 11-man. The field, however, is only 80 yards long and 40 feet wide, and there can only be five players on the line of scrimmage. There is one difference in terms of conversion plays, Norris explaining that if a team does not have a placekicker, it can line up on the 1-yard-line for a one-point PAT or on the 3 for a two-point PAT.
“We stick with the basics,” said Norris about his offensive scheme. “It’s more of a spread option.
“The defense has more leeway. You need one or two linebackers and one good safety.”
That safety, he said, can either decided to play the run like a strong safety or cover like a free safety.
“It’s a quick game,” said Norris. In 2011, the Warriors had no passing attack at all, the coach said. But now they have developed a quarterback with a good arm, and he has two receivers in the 6-2 to 6-5 range. He also said some colleges will look at eight-man football for those types of players.
“The biggest thing for us is to build Christian men,” said Norris. “Football is one way to get that out of them. We pray before practice and after practice. It’s all centered behind Christ and letting them know it’s O.K. to be tough. It does not mean you are less of a Christian if you are a tough, aggressive player.”
SARAH PRICE
There’s more of the Price family at Westside Christian. Daughter Sarah Price is a rising sophomore who’s developed a love for the sport of volleyball. She was a student at Westside Christian from fourth through eighth grade, but then joined her father at Northside last year and was part of Jessica White’s volleyball program.
“It’s a sport I never thought of doing,” she said. “But then I saw some games from Northside and watched coach White and the girls play. I think I got interested when I saw Bobie Wilson and how amazing she was. I wanted to become more like that.”
So Sarah played junior varsity and developed friendships with the varsity girls like Wilson and Kiara Thompson, who will attend Albany State.
“I like the adrenaline rush,” she said. “I love being in the game, hanging out with all the girls. I’ve played basketball and soccer and softball. Volleyball is a smaller court, and you are closer to the girls. I feel like it’s a family thing. What’s a team without a family?
“That’s what my dad instilled in me through basketball watching them. I believe it.
“He coaches me on the sidelines, too. He’s told me to never give up.”
Sarah was Westside Christian’s junior varsity captain as an eighth grader. She’s ready to say “I’m back” to Warrior volleyball and be one of the keys that furthers the program.
“I’m hoping we have a good amount for both JV and varsity,” she said. “Coach Crouch is pretty awesome. My main position is setter, which I didn’t get to do much at Northside. I like being setter.
“I want to possibly (play) in college. I want to win and put a name to Westside volleyball.”
HHJ News
