CONCORD, N.C. -- For as long as I can remember, Concord, N.C. has been known for three things. Phillip Morris, Charlotte Motor Speedway, and Barber-Scotia College. Phillip Morris is gone, the Speedway almost left, and Barber-Scotia has been hanging by a thread. That thread is a small group of people who have dedicated themselves to resurrecting this historically black college that graduated civil rights leader Mary McLeod Bethune, and many of our parents and grandparents. The school’s rich history and reputation was tarnished when it lost its accreditation in 2004 and nearly shutdown.
Now as the 2011-2012 college basketball season kicks off, Barber-Scotia is using the sport to make a comeback with a new men’s and women’s basketball team. For a school in Scotia’s financial position it would be very easy to eliminate women’s basketball, especially in this economy. However, being that Scotia was founded as a school for women, including women’s sports says a lot about the school’s dedication to its heritage.
Barber-Scotia President Dr. David Olah says their basketball team is more about community presence than money. “We’re not doing it to raise money, it’s more about re-establishing our prominence in the community, so people know we are here. One of the problems we have is re-establishing our credibility. We think basketball is a great ambassador program for us.” said Dr. Olah.
One of the people helping revive Scotia is its new women’s basketball coach Marcel Webster. Coach Webster, as well as men's Head Coach Marcus Pryor, face all sorts of challenges. They have no money to offer scholarships. They’ve also had to hit the recruiting trail and convince players to come to a school that is not accredited. Losing accreditation has really hurt Scotia’s reputation, but Webster says it’s not stopping them. "Believe it or not we've been overly successful in signing players. Players have embraced what we're trying to do, from an academic stand point, from an accreditation stand point, and from a women's basketball stand point. We've been truthful about everything we say we're going to do, and though its been difficult, we've been successful." said Webster.
One major selling point is the school's new basketball court. It has been completely resurfaced and detailed with the team's Saber mascot at center court. The name "Al Coefield Court" is inscribed along the sideline. Webster says that court will be a huge factor for the school's resurgence. SunDrop Bottling is one company that has already invested in the school by paying for the shot clock and the score board. Webster said the basketball court was in such bad shape before its makeover, that teams refused to come play at Scotia. The women’s unbelievably hard basketball schedule shows how bad opponents didn’t want to play in Scotia’s gym. Out of their 32 games this season, they’ll only play 10 home games, and their first 14 games are on the road.
The Lady Sabers have embraced being the underdog and have not let their school’s situation get them down. “I could’ve went to other schools and played, but I wanted to make a difference and help start the school back up” said freshman Shanequa Jackson.
The team has also been passing out flyers in the community to drum up support and get people to the games. “We get positive feedback but the first thing people say is, I thought that school was closed!” said freshman guard Tesha “Hollywood” Wilson. “It just makes me work harder and get the school known because this is my school!” said Wilson.
Another factor that really helps Scotia is it’s now part of an athletic conference. The college was recently accepted into the USCAA (United States Collegiate Athletic Association) which Webster says is more proof people are taking notice and believe the Scotia can be nationally relevant again. The men's basketball team played last season, but they did not belong to a conference. Now they have something more to play for and that will be a huge boost to the team's confidence.
Barber-Scotia expects to get its accreditation back within the next year. Dr. Olah says the school still has some debt to remove before that can happen, but academically the school is successful.
That success was displayed this past May when the school had its first graduate in seven years. Benita Boyd graduated with a Bachelors degree in Religious Studies. She was the only person to walk across the stage. Her niece, also named Benita, now plays point guard for the Lady Sabers.
If you would like to check out the men’s and women’s Barber-Scotia basketball games, click here www.b-sc.edu.
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