John Fraley's comments
to the Senate Education Committee of 4/9/05
104th General Assembly, SB1356 Extra-curricular activities
Copyright © John Fraley. Used with permission.

Your Honors. Thank you for letting me speak and I want to thank Senator Bryson for inviting me to speak with you about this bill.

 

My name is John Fraley and I’m from Clarksville TN, and I am 17 years old and currently in the 11^th grade.  I was adopted 5-1/2 years ago and have been homeschooled ever since. I am 6’8” and wear a size 19 shoe – that’s what everyone always asks me!!! And, yes, I play basketball. That’s the other thing everyone always asks me!!!

 

I have just completed my second year of playing competitive basketball. I am a starter on the Varsity Boys team of the Nashville Central Christian Warriors, which is a homeschool team made up of kids from all over Middle Tennessee: Clarksville, Columbia, Franklin, Manchester, Nashville, Lawrenceburg.  After two years I’ve almost broken the team record for rebounds. My coaches are helping to build my character as a young man and as a basketball player. This season our Varsity Boys team placed 2^nd in the Regional Homeschool Tournament held in Nashville in February, and we won the championship at the National Tournament in Wichita, Kansas in March for the first time.

 

This requires our family to travel to practices and games in Tennessee and surrounding states. Like homeschooling, participating with the Warriors program is a commitment and sacrifice my family has been willing to make – even though my parents don’t really like sports….AND my mom still doesn’t understand basketball! My family is helping to make my dreams come true. This is my dream!!

 

I believe this is a good bill that can benefit many Tennessee kids whose families are not able to make these great sacrifices. Those on homeschooled and private school teams and those that want to play on public school teams are great athletes. One of the main reasons I want this bill to be passed is to challenge and improve my skills. Right now I’m limited in opportunities and can’t play the best teams in the state. We can’t play against other state teams to challenge us and to get the chance to beat them!! Because of our winning record, many homeschooled and private school teams will no longer schedule with us. We beat them all the time!!

 

 I am also limited in being able to be seen by college scouts – so I don’t have the same chances as public school athletes to compete for those scholarships or even to be invited to join the team. My grades qualify me to get into college, but I am discriminated against for those scholarships because I am homeschooled.

 

I never thought as a little boy growing up poor with my birthmother and failing in school that I could come this far only to be stopped short of my dream. I dreamed of playing with the BIG BOYS. I never thought I could ever go to college. Thanks to the work of my parents I can do that….and even play if I could only get the opportunity for them to see me play.

 

So I urge you, if not for my benefit, then for the other Tennessee kids who want to just play….let us play!!!