Chattanooga, Tenn. – For student-athletes at Central High School, some of the most important lessons happen beyond the playing field. They come through conversations with teammates, moments of reflection after a difficult loss, and learning to recognize what they need and how to ask for it.
That’s the idea behind Central’s partnership with The True Athlete Project, a Chattanooga-based nonprofit focused on helping athletes, coaches, and programs develop a more mindful and compassionate culture of sport.
“At its best, sport can be this great positive developmental space where people learn so many of life’s lessons and connect with others in really formative, memorable ways,” said Neil Place, Head of U.S. Programming for The True Athlete Project. “At the same time, sport, when the culture is not at its best, can actually be quite harmful.”
The partnership began when a Central basketball coach reached out to The True Athlete Project for support in keeping athletes engaged in the sport. The team worked with The True Athlete Project founder Sam Parfitt for several sessions, with the experience later catching the attention of Ronald Simmons, Central’s Assistant Principal and Athletic Director. After hearing about the work, Simmons reached out to learn more and explore how the partnership could reach more student-athletes at Central High School.
“I just said, I’ve got to talk to this guy. I’ve got to reach out and see if we can’t get this moving through more spaces within the school,” said Simmons.
What started with one basketball team has since expanded to include student-athletes from several Central teams, including softball, volleyball, girls basketball, tennis, wrestling, boys soccer, and cheer.
The sessions focus on the person behind the athlete, beginning with mindfulness, identity, and values. Students learn to become more aware of their thoughts, emotions, and reactions while identifying the values that matter to them individually and as a team.
“Once you identify those team values, it’s a lens through which everything operates,” Place said.
From there, Place maintains regular touchpoints with teams throughout the season, adapting sessions based on what coaches and athletes need. That consistent presence allows The True Athlete Project to respond to what athletes are experiencing in real time and build relationships with both students and coaches.
For Simmons, that cultural shift is one of the most important parts of the partnership.
“Sports have a lot to offer kids,” Simmons said.
“It is the place where we can have controlled chaos but develop character at the same time.”
Simmons wants students to understand that success in athletics is about more than wins and losses. There may only be one state champion in each sport, but every student-athlete has the opportunity to grow through the experience.
“It’s really like, what’s causing you to quit and how can we start to bring things in that makes the sport enjoyable, which is what it should be, but still give you that opportunity to grow and develop?” he said.
That focus on character is something Simmons has seen throughout his own experience as a coach and parent. As an athlete himself and the parent of three daughters who competed collegiately, Simmons has seen firsthand that advancing to the next level requires more than athletic ability.
“It’s not skill-based. It’s character-based,” Simmons said. “How do you rebound from setbacks? That’s what that coach that’s recruiting you is actually looking for. It’s not the head down. It’s picking yourself back up. It’s cheering your teammates on.”
Place has seen those lessons take root in Central’s teams. While working with the softball team throughout a season, the weekly sessions eventually became something athletes expected and took ownership of themselves. Students began coming to sessions with their own ideas about what they wanted to discuss or work through.
Another example came from the wrestling team. During one session, athletes discussed what they needed from teammates when they were struggling or feeling down. One wrestler said he simply wanted to be reminded that he was great.
Later, during a tournament, a teammate recognized that the athlete was struggling and told him exactly that.
“You could see the athlete actually respond to their teammates because you’re speaking the language that they need at the moment,” Simmons said.
For both Place and Simmons, the ultimate goal is for athletes to carry these lessons with them beyond sports. Athletics gives students opportunities to practice resilience, communicate with others, work through setbacks, and recognize what they can and cannot control. Just as importantly, students learn that being an athlete is only one part of who they are.
“Once you know who you are and what your values are, the sport doesn’t define who you are,” Simmons said. “It’s just a part of who you are.”
The partnership also creates opportunities for Place to connect with coaches throughout the year. Those conversations are often informal and genuine, giving coaches space to reflect on how things are going, talk through challenges, and share what they are seeing with their athletes. Place serves as an additional source of support and a sounding board as coaches navigate the demands of leading a team.
After these student-athletes graduate, the hope from both Place and Simmons is that they leave with more than a record, a trophy, or a season of statistics. They leave knowing themselves a little better, understanding how to support the people around them, and knowing how to keep moving forward when things don’t go as planned.
At Central, the goal is not simply to develop better athletes. It’s to provide students with skills and experiences that will serve them well beyond their time in sports.
For more information about The True Athlete Project, visit their website here.
