LCA Making News
A MODERN DAY DAVID & GOLIATH SPORTS STORY
January 26, 2012

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Remember the movie The Blind Side? Have you ever imagined what it would have been like to be a participant in the real life story rather than a spectator watching the movie? What decisions would you have made when faced with overwhelming odds stacked against you? Well this is your chance – multiplied by one coach and eight talented boys each with their own unique story.

The Saints are marching in and you can be part of the journey. Life Christian Academy (aka David), a private school in Orleans, Ontario is looking to take on Goliath (OFSAA provincial championships) for a shot at representing the nation’s capital in high school Sr. basketball. With only 30 Students in their high school, and only ranked as a division A school – The LCA Saints are undefeated against large school like St. Matthews High School (no. 1 east division AA school).

The overwhelming success of this “little David”, goes to coach Ray Evans (a certified executive chef and a pastor with a PhD in theology from West Indies School of Theology) and his 17 year old assistant coach, Lea Marte (A student Athlete – ironically a former student of St. Matthews) who along with a handful of kids from the Bahamas decided to risk everything and move to Ottawa and give a little school with no sports program a chance to be noticed. And noticed is an understatement. From hitting the front page of sports section in The Nassau Guardian(largest newspaper in the Bahamas) to being profiled by Orleans Online, everyone in the city is asking, who are they and where did they come from?

A couple of the players have already received offers for full scholarships to American Colleges such as Union College, East Central Community College, Rocky Mountain College, Madison College, Salt Lake Collegeas well as some invitations pouring in from Canadian Schools like Sir Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo, and the University of New Brunswick.

So how did all of these schools hear about us? It all has to do with a tiny little device called the iPhone. Using wifi and/or 3G on the Bell Network and a little App called ustream – most of the schools games are broadcast live and then saved online. It’s a win-win for the players, because not only can family members and friends back home in the Bahamas view the games live, Coach Evans makes sure some key coaches from specific colleges and universities get a chance to see the boys talents in action.

Mike Karpishka, Principal of Life Christian Academy International, is able to place the school on the map, with literally no budget. His goal is to give these boys a shot in life by helping get them noticed. He enjoys seeing the reaction of other parents and students watching the games, after he tells them they only have 30 kids in the school and no gym! “It’s a David vs. Goliath scenario with every game we play.” Not only do we not have a gymnasium (our kids practice at the local YMCA), but we are competing against schools with big budgets, large staff and facilities we could only dream of having.

Our next Goliath after a shot at OFSAA in a cross Canada tour hoping to establish Special Sports Related Camps for First Nations Communities, with a stop to play a basketball tournament at the 100 Year Anniversary of the Calgary Stampede, where Karpishka has been a children’s entertainer for the past 6 years. Our challenge? We have no money, no sponsors and no vehicle. But that’s minor because we serve a BIG God!

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