ROANOKE, Va. – A growing league in the Roanoke Valley is offering opportunities for local athletes and beyond to take their talents to the next level. It’s called South Forest Community Christian College and the idea was formed a few years ago by Head Coach and Athletic Director, Pope Mitchell. He says he saw a lot of college-aged guys playing semi-professional football, and it gave him the idea to start a program where athletes are able to excel in their academics and athletics after high school, with the option to take their talents to the next level.
“I originally went to UVA-Wise, and my situation there wasn’t the best and I came home and helped out at home a little bit, and I was coaching back at Fleming for a while, and it was something I was missing,” Quarterback Matthew Lewis-Bell said. “Coaching pushed me back to playing, so I had gained a little weight, so I dropped the weight and became a personal trainer, and as I did that I was like, man, I miss football. So I started playing semi-pro, get a little film, and as I started doing that, Coach Pope brought the program in and it was the perfect fit for me.”
“For a place like us, not only can we set you up for success academically, but athletically as well,” Mitchell said. “We have four of our student-athletes, returning for football, who have scholarship offers at various levels right now, including division one, so we feel like we can compete with anybody on any level.”
If you’d like to join or for more information, visit their Twitter here.