Martin out as Village Christian football coach amid investigation
By Jaclyn Shambaugh FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER
Staff writer
Posted at 2:12 PM Updated at 3:17 PM
Martin, Knights football program are under investigation by the NCISAA for recruiting violations.
Emerson Martin is no longer the football coach at Village Christian following news last week that the school is under investigation by the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association for recruiting violations.
WRAL initially broke the story of the investigation in a March 1 report, but Village Christian athletic director Harold Morrison confirmed to The Fayetteville Observer on Thursday that Martin is out as football coach.
Martin, reached by phone Thursday, declined to comment.
Village Christian is being investigated for allegations of undue influence while recruiting and promises of free tuition to football players, both violations of the NCISAA handbook.
In its story from last week, WRAL reported that at least four players previously enrolled at Raleigh Athens Drive transferred to Village Christian ahead of the 2018 football season under promises of free tuition.
Two of the transfers, Isaiah Henderson and Geo Cannon, have since transferred back to Athens Drive, WRAL reported, after being told that their tuition had, in fact, not been paid as promised.
A call from The Fayetteville Observer to NCISAA executive director Homar Ramirez on Thursday was not returned.
The Fayetteville Observer’s Jaclyn Shambaugh and Sonny Jones break down the latest in high school sports in the Cape Fear region.
The NCISAA prohibits its member schools from actively recruiting athletes and doing so can carry steep penalties.
As delineated in the NCISAA handbook, a student-athlete involved in a recruiting violation will be prohibited from competing in NCISAA games for a calendar year.
The school found to have violated the recruiting policy will be placed on probation and ineligible to compete in NCISAA playoffs in any sport for one calendar year.
According to the rulebook, the team found in violation of the recruiting policy will have to forfeit games played, a consequence that would be particularly hefty for the Knights, which won the NCISAA Division III football state championship in November.
The NCISAA also prohibits student-athletes from receiving preferential treatment in the distribution of financial aid.
Martin was hired as the Knights’ football coach in April 2017. The former Carolina Panthers offensive lineman, an Elizabethtown native, had held various coaching jobs at the college and high school level, including a stint at East Bladen, after his playing days ended.
In addition to coaching, Martin is the program director for Players 2 Pros, a Raleigh-based football development and college prospect exposure business launched by Martin’s wife, Keschia Martin.
Village Christian had little success in football before Martin’s arrival, with the exception of the 2016 season, when coach Russell Stone led the Knights to an appearance in the NCISAA final in his only year with the program.
Martin matched that feat in his first season, guiding the Knights to their second straight state final appearance. In 2018, the Knights broke through for the program’s first state championship, taking the NCISAA Division III title.
In an interview with The Fayetteville Observer in 2017 following his hiring, Martin spoke about the potential he saw in Village Christian, using the success of the Knights’ basketball program as an example and comparing the school’s potential to that of the widely known IMG Academy sports training boarding school in Florida.
“You have to look at Village Christian (basketball) already winning state championships back-to-back and playing IMG and Oak Hill,” he said. “You take football to the same level and you’re looking at an IMG in the middle of North Carolina.”
Martin said in that interview that financial assistance was available for students at Village.
“It’s about $6,000 a year to come to Village Christian, but you’re coming to a school with high test scores and a rising athletic program,” he said. “Would you rather pay $24,000 for high school or $200,000 to go to college. Kids can get athletic and academic scholarships. They can get financial assistance to come to school (at Village). It can be done and it’s worth sacrificing those trips to Outback or Chili’s for four years.”
By Jaclyn Shambaugh FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER
Staff writer
Posted at 2:12 PM Updated at 3:17 PM
Martin, Knights football program are under investigation by the NCISAA for recruiting violations.
Emerson Martin is no longer the football coach at Village Christian following news last week that the school is under investigation by the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association for recruiting violations.
WRAL initially broke the story of the investigation in a March 1 report, but Village Christian athletic director Harold Morrison confirmed to The Fayetteville Observer on Thursday that Martin is out as football coach.
Martin, reached by phone Thursday, declined to comment.
Village Christian is being investigated for allegations of undue influence while recruiting and promises of free tuition to football players, both violations of the NCISAA handbook.
In its story from last week, WRAL reported that at least four players previously enrolled at Raleigh Athens Drive transferred to Village Christian ahead of the 2018 football season under promises of free tuition.
Two of the transfers, Isaiah Henderson and Geo Cannon, have since transferred back to Athens Drive, WRAL reported, after being told that their tuition had, in fact, not been paid as promised.
A call from The Fayetteville Observer to NCISAA executive director Homar Ramirez on Thursday was not returned.
The Fayetteville Observer’s Jaclyn Shambaugh and Sonny Jones break down the latest in high school sports in the Cape Fear region.
The NCISAA prohibits its member schools from actively recruiting athletes and doing so can carry steep penalties.
As delineated in the NCISAA handbook, a student-athlete involved in a recruiting violation will be prohibited from competing in NCISAA games for a calendar year.
The school found to have violated the recruiting policy will be placed on probation and ineligible to compete in NCISAA playoffs in any sport for one calendar year.
According to the rulebook, the team found in violation of the recruiting policy will have to forfeit games played, a consequence that would be particularly hefty for the Knights, which won the NCISAA Division III football state championship in November.
The NCISAA also prohibits student-athletes from receiving preferential treatment in the distribution of financial aid.
Martin was hired as the Knights’ football coach in April 2017. The former Carolina Panthers offensive lineman, an Elizabethtown native, had held various coaching jobs at the college and high school level, including a stint at East Bladen, after his playing days ended.
In addition to coaching, Martin is the program director for Players 2 Pros, a Raleigh-based football development and college prospect exposure business launched by Martin’s wife, Keschia Martin.
Village Christian had little success in football before Martin’s arrival, with the exception of the 2016 season, when coach Russell Stone led the Knights to an appearance in the NCISAA final in his only year with the program.
Martin matched that feat in his first season, guiding the Knights to their second straight state final appearance. In 2018, the Knights broke through for the program’s first state championship, taking the NCISAA Division III title.
In an interview with The Fayetteville Observer in 2017 following his hiring, Martin spoke about the potential he saw in Village Christian, using the success of the Knights’ basketball program as an example and comparing the school’s potential to that of the widely known IMG Academy sports training boarding school in Florida.
“You have to look at Village Christian (basketball) already winning state championships back-to-back and playing IMG and Oak Hill,” he said. “You take football to the same level and you’re looking at an IMG in the middle of North Carolina.”
Martin said in that interview that financial assistance was available for students at Village.
“It’s about $6,000 a year to come to Village Christian, but you’re coming to a school with high test scores and a rising athletic program,” he said. “Would you rather pay $24,000 for high school or $200,000 to go to college. Kids can get athletic and academic scholarships. They can get financial assistance to come to school (at Village). It can be done and it’s worth sacrificing those trips to Outback or Chili’s for four years.”
