MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It’s about more than the fundamentals of the game. Celia Newman founded Elite Level Prep with her sights on changing how it`s played.
“Our senior class, we have five seniors in our class and they all got full ride scholarships actually.”
For her it`s not just about mastering the game, it’s about becoming a pro at life. For three years she’s been meeting student athletes on the court and changing their outlook on sports–working with them from middle school into high school and on through college.
“I honestly don’t know where I would have been without ELP because I needed that guidance.”
Dillon Munn is an example of why Newman started ELP in the first place. While working with the program, his ACT shot up
six points.
He’s now a sophomore in college.
Newman said from playing sports in college to working at the University of Memphis as an academic mentor, she figured out what student athletes needed to succeed in life.
“I’ve noticed there are great athletes in this city, talented athletes but they don’t have the ACT scores, or they didn’t know they had to meet requirements and they end up at junior college or not in school at all.”
Instead of keeping those nuggets to herself she’s spreading the wisdom.
“Memphis, Clarksdale, Jackson, and I’m going to Nashville. Then my last stop is Cincinnati, Ohio.”
And that’s just the beginning. She said she has no idea the heights her passion to pass on life skills could take her.
“I would say it is like a family. It is a family thing.”
And as the family grows, Newman said her only goal is to give back and to train the next generation of athletes to do the same.
“We will keep this going and going to different cities, seeing more athletes.”