Providence Christian Academy to join TSSAA football in 2023

When Lebron Ferguson started the Providence Christian Academy football team three years ago, he saw bigger things on the horizon.

That will begin next year, as PCA will field 11-man football and the team will join TSSAA in 2023.

"You don't know if you're ever truly ready, but you've got to do it," said Ferguson, when asked about the big leap from 8-man football to TSSAA Division II. "The more we talked about it and prayed about it, the more we began to look at the numbers. At the end of the day, we're doing what's right for the kids."

PCA will join the DII-A football ranks next season, just three years after Ferguson left a longtime assistant coaching position at Franklin Road Academy to start the Lions' 8-man program at the Murfreesboro private school.

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Ferguson was at FRA from 2008-19 and was a coach at Oakland from 1996-2007, including head coach from 2004-07.

Providence Christian is already competing in TSSAA in other sports at the school, including basketball, soccer, golf, track and field and baseball. The girls basketball team won the DII-A state title in 2019 and finished runner-up in 2021.

"We are excited about what our football program brings to our community," PCA Head of School Andy Sheets said. "Coach Ferguson and the young men that play for him are focused not only on what takes place in practice and under the lights, but what it means to be a man after God’s heart and what it means to play for something bigger than yourself.  They are learning important lessons about life and I’m excited about the expansion of the program and competing in the TSSAA."

Of course, football is a completely different situation, with a school needing experience and an adequate number of players before joining TSSAA 11-man football.

Ferguson's squad has 45 players this season and he said 20 are freshmen. The team had 22 players in the first season and 21 last year.

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"Our kids are energized," said Ferguson, of increased interest in football in the school. "(Playing 11-man football) will open up three offensive and defensive positions, not to mention special teams."

The biggest question entering next season is facilities. The current football field located on campus wouldn't be sufficient to host TSSAA games. Ferguson doesn't know the answer to that question yet, but said it's something the school has been working on already.

"While our current facilities are not adequate to support TSSAA football, we are working on short-term solutions until we can fully develop our athletic facilities across the street," Sheets said.  "Those 19 acres will be developed in several phases, and include: baseball field, tennis courts, softball field, soccer field, football and track stadium, as well as a field house with locker rooms.  We are committed to providing the best possible facilities for our student-athletes and look forward to seeing our plans come to fruition.”  

There are currently two DII-A regions in the Midstate, including the East Region, which includes crosstown rival Middle Tennessee Christian and Friendship Christian, and the Middle Region, which includes teams such as Nashville Christian and Donelson Christian.

Region placement under the new TSSAA 2023-25 cycle have not been determined yet and won't be set until Nov. 17, when the Board of Control meets.

"(We are) excited to make the jump to 11-man football," said PCA athletic director Tara James, who made a similar move with her basketball team in 2016. "We are ready and we have the best coach to lead us. We wouldn't be able to do this without his football leadership and the incredible growth that our school has experienced."

Reach Cecil Joyce at cjoyce@dnj.com and on Twitter @Cecil_Joyce.