When the recent news of the athletics facilities expansion at Trinity Christian Academy was announced, it was bittersweet for those graduating.
And while they may not be able to directly benefit from the upcoming upgrades, several TCA athletes had their own news to celebrate in 2021.
This year, five students — Maddie Harless, Luke Carson, Ryan Hollingsworth, Jake Povero and Ryan Shiller — signed letters of intent to participate in sports at the collegiate level, in basketball, football and swimming.
“In regard to the football program, we have been able to place every student athlete wanting to play at the next level in the past five years,” said Joe Hamstra, athletic director and head football coach.
Mike Skaggs, TCA Head of School, said it’s been great to see how students have succeeded at taking their love of sports and education to the next level.
“[It’s been] impressive over the past few years to see how many of our students have gone on to play sports collegiately,” Skaggs said. “Joe has done a good job with connecting our kids with college in ways I really don’t think most schools of our size see.”
Overall, throughout the past few years, more than 20 students have gone on to play in college in baseball, basketball, football, golf, swimming, track and volleyball since graduation.
This year’s graduates signing letters of intent include:
Maddie Harless – swimming, Oklahoma Christian University
Harless has been swimming for about nine years and has gone to the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) state finals every year in high school. This year, she finished in third place in the 100m backstroke and fourth in the 200m freestyle.
Admittedly, COVID-19 presented its challenges but Harless persevered and said she is proud of what she accomplished.
“This season was full of many complications due to random quarantines,” she said. “Even with these challenges, I was able to peak early in the season – right after summer training — and swam several [personal records] in a couple of events, one of them being the 100m freestyle.”
Harless said she visited other colleges before deciding on Oklahoma Christian.
“The people, from the start, were very welcoming,” she said. “The campus was also full of life and I was very excited for the opportunity to swim for them.”
Harless credits TCA for preparing her for what lies ahead.
“This school has pushed me past what I thought was possible on several occasions,” she confessed. “I know how to study well and handle a large amount of material in several classes at once.”
Additionally, Harless said she’ll remember her time at TCA proudly, mostly because she and her friend Payton Alberts started the swim team in their freshmen year.
“By the second year, we had recruited enough people for two relay teams. I taught and coached the swimmers how to swim in many early mornings before school and the two relays ended up making it to state,” she recalled. “Since then, the school has hired a swim coach and each year, the two relays have made it to state as well.”
As for what the new facilities will do for future athletes at TCA, Maddie said she thinks it will allow students more opportunities to “build their skills and advance farther than we have ever gone before.”
“With the right facilities close to campus, the athletes no longer have to travel to get to practice which enables them to spend more time at practice,” she said. “Going forward, the athletic programs can only grow.”
Harless plans to major in exercise science for physical therapy.
Luke Carson – basketball, Austin College
Carson joined TCA as a point guard in his sophomore season after transferring from Bethesda Christian in Fort Worth.
He said he felt “right at home” from the moment he showed up at the school.
“From academics, relationships and workouts, TCA gave me all the time and facilities I needed to succeed,” Carson said. “Some schools don’t do that.”
Though he eventually ended up with about eight offers, Carson said he chose Austin College, in Sherman, because he loved the coaching staff and program, and they were his first offer.
“I planned to reach out to Austin College but I didn’t have to, the coaches came and found me,” he said. “It says something that they came looking for a 5-foot-8 country boy from a small-town school.”
Another factor is that he will have an immediate chance to make an impact.
“I have a fair opportunity to play competitively on a team that consistently fights for a spot in their conference each season.”
One of Carson’s most memorable moments at TCA was this past season against Lake Country with a playoff spot on the line.
Carson explained that he and teammate Ryan Hollingsworth – a transfer from Lake Country – joined forces to overcome an eight-point deficit with three minutes to go.
“I ended up breaking my jaw in that game but came back in and we scored eight points in a row,” he recalled. “We ended up winning the game.”
Carson said he spent some time mentoring the underclassmen this season and he hopes the upcoming improvements will make up for what the athletes that came before them didn’t have yet still succeeded.
“Hopefully, it motivates them to improve and get better,” he said. “I think it will attract more athletes in the future and bring a winning tradition to TCA.”
Carson plans to major in business and/or sports management.
Ryan Hollingsworth and Jake Povero — football, Hendrix College
Hollingsworth and Povero will once again be teammates next season as they head to Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas.
The pair became fast friends after Hollingsworth moved to TCA from Lake Country for his senior year.
“I knew from the first day I met Ryan that we would be good friends,” Povero said. “I’m excited to start the next stage of my life with a friend who will push me to be my best.”
Povero will be playing outside linebacker and Hollingsworth will settle in as quarterback. Both chose Hendrix after being impressed with the campus and how the football program is run.
“My visit … was really good and I was impressed by the coaches and the program,” Hollingsworth said. “I am excited to just get there and start right away.”
Povero said TCA has pushed him to be the best on the field and in the classroom. For Hollingsworth, transferring to a new school for his senior year could’ve been difficult but it wasn’t.
“I wasn’t too sure where I would fit in but this school year was the best year,” he admitted. “I felt home right away.”
Povero said he is proud of how the team did this season, especially with all the adjustments that needed to be made because of COVID-19.
“We faced many challenges throughout the season,” he said. “I’m most proud of how well the team kept together.”
Hollingsworth said he is most proud of his growth in his leadership skills but also his growth in Christ.
“TCA was a really good place for me and, right now, off the field is where I have grown the most,” he said. “My senior year was the best year.”
Both said they believe the improvements coming to athletic facilities is “just what TCA” needs to bring news students to the school.
“We have already won multiple championships in multiple sports without [the improvements] and the new facility will help the school become more competitive by bringing in more athletes,” Povero said.
Povero plans to major in Economics and Business. Hollingsworth is currently undecided.
Ryan Shiller – football, Tyler Junior College
Shiller played his junior and senior years at TCA and was one of the backbones of the offensive line.
“I enjoyed being with the team and winning,” he said. “TCA is very regimented so I’m not too worried about being unprepared for Tyler.”
Shiller said he knew Tyler Junior College was a fit for him when he visited.
“I liked the campus and the coaches a lot,” he said.
As for a major, Shiller said he is leaning toward business or biology but that he isn’t exactly sure just yet.
He said he is looking forward to seeing TCA’s expansion and it will “make things more accessible.”
“Football will be right there and that’s going to be great to not have to travel,” he added.
Shiller said he has enjoyed his time at TCA and while this year has its ups and downs, he advises underclassmen and students in general to appreciate it.
“High school doesn’t last forever,” he said. “You gotta enjoy it while you can and make the best of it.”
