Student-athletes at the Covington Independent Public Schools (CIPS) desperately need our support. That’s what the Tom Ellis Athletic Memorial (TEAM) Foundation does for CIPS and its student-athletes.
The primary goal of the TEAM Foundation is to construct and maintain athletic fields and provide other support to Covington’s student-athletes to aid in the health and development of our youth and our community. The TEAM Foundation goals are to:
- Provide state-of-the art athletic facilities to the students of the Covington school system and to the residents and families in the City of Covington.
- Prevent and decrease substance use among Covington youth and encourage their participation in teams and other healthy activities.
- Decrease the obesity levels of students and residents in the community.
While the TEAM Foundation is proud of its past efforts to raise funding to construct a new football field at Holmes High School and a new baseball field at nearby Meinken All-Star Field, many other capital projects remain — such as a new, lighted field for the girls’ softball field — and needs for equipment and supplies for our sports teams, scholarships, and other needs of our student-athletes.
Some facts about why we need to support students in Covington public schools
More than one-third of CIPS students are considered overweight or obese and more than one-half of students spend three hours or more per week in an extracurricular activity. Studies show that 92 percent of students who participate in extracurricular activities do not use or abuse substances.
Living a healthy lifestyle, increased academic performance, and more community involvement are the benefits our youth obtain when they are active in athletics and other extracurricular activities. Currently, only 51 percent of students in Covington public schools spend three hours or more per week in an extracurricular activity. The new athletic fields that have been constructed by Covington schools allow more students to participate in athletics and extra-curricular activities, which pay dividends for our community.
- By a 2:1 margin, boys who participate in athletics do better in school and finish college.
- By a 3:1 margin, girls who participate in athletics do better in school and finish college.