The high school athletes that academic coach Matthew Hazel helps may never compete in a college football playoff semifinal game like this year's Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
But it's because of the bowl that these Atlanta high schoolers are getting extra academic aid, test preparation and mentoring.
Peach Bowl, Inc. operates the Dec. 28 Mercedes-Benz Stadium bowl game that features a matchup between No. 1 ranked Louisiana State University and No. 4 University of Oklahoma.
The organization has given more than $2 million since 2007 to pay for an academic mentoring program for Atlanta high school athletes.
Hazel, a video production teacher at Therrell High School, stays after school to work with student-athletes as part of the Play It Smart program. He’s one of 10 academic coaches, who serve each of the district’s traditional high schools. The coaches receive stipends.
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Hazel said the program started by primarily targeting high school football players, but he also assists athletes who play other sports at Therrell. He meets with the students after school to check in on their classes, help them prepare for college entrance exams and provide study hall time to do homework.
He also helps them sort through the NCAA eligibility requirements to play sports at Division I or Division II colleges.
“A lot of my kids are not going to play DI ball or DII ball, but it’s just trying to get them to be a better man,” he said.
Even after the football season ends, Hazel continues to meet with students after school. On a recent afternoon, he helped a half-dozen student-athletes create their online profiles to register with the NCAA.
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Therrell junior Keshaun Ward said it’s hard to balance schoolwork, football and track. But he said stopping in to Hazel’s classroom after school gives him more time to finish his homework while juggling school and practice. He hopes to play football in college.
According to Atlanta Public Schools, more than 600 students participated in the program last school year and their grade point average was higher than their classmates.
Peach Bowl, Inc. also supports literacy initiatives and scholarships for APS students.
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“We are deeply committed to the long-term success of our students and we want to give them every advantage we can along their journey,” said Gary Stokan, Peach Bowl, Inc. CEO and president, in a written statement.
Hazel, who graduated from Grady High School and played football at Tuskegee University, said it’s valuable to teach high schoolers time-management and study skills.
“That is ideal,” he said, adding it’s “a resource I wish I would have had.”
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