Built on Brotherhood, Fueled by Faith:
TCS 5th/6th Grade Football Claims Championship
By Samantha DePriest
For the TCS 5th and 6th grade football team, the 2026 championship was about much more than the final score. It represented months of hard work, lessons learned through adversity, and a shared commitment to becoming better football players and young men. In his first year as head coach, Patrick Fleming led a 33 player squad to a 6–1 record and a championship victory over Main Street Academy last week.
“I was so emotional at the end of the game,” Fleming shared. “My first words were, ‘We did it!’” Seeing parents embrace the coaching staff and witnessing the emotions on the players’ faces made the victory quite meaningful. Fleming was quick to acknowledge the foundation built by the coaches, players, and parents who came before him. “I’m so grateful for the foundation laid before me,” he said. Having previously served as defensive coordinator for his older son, Gable, now a TCS freshman, Fleming has embraced the opportunity to coach his middle son, Emory, while investing in an entire team of young athletes.
For Fleming, the recipe for success begins with culture, development, and a commitment to excellence. The coaching staff established clear roles, responsibilities, and expectations, working to meet each player where he was and build him toward the team’s high standard. Fleming led the program alongside Coach Joey Thomas on offense, Coach Brandon Blanton on defense, Coach Matt Davidson on special teams and player development, and Coach Chad Wallace on the offensive line. Together, they shared a common goal: helping players reach their potential while honoring God through their efforts.
The road to the championship included a valuable test against Main Street Academy. The Lions won their first meeting earlier in the season 20–6 but fell 0–6 in their second matchup. Rather than allowing the loss to define them, the team used the experience as motivation to improve. Fleming frequently reminded his players, “We win or we learn. We don’t lose.”
The coaching staff studied film and refined its approach. Coach Thomas devoted hours to scouting opponents and preparing the offensive game plan, while Coach Blandon developed a more complex defensive strategy that included shifts along the line of scrimmage. The preparation reinforced an important lesson: championship success requires championship level effort.
From Crucibles in March through three practices a week during the hot summer months, the Lions grew stronger together. Fleming established two priorities, exceptional conditioning and playing as one brotherhood. Players tackled demanding workouts that included long lunges, backward sprints, bear crawls, and intense conditioning drills. Fleming completed the workouts alongside his players, demonstrating that leadership means being willing to work just as hard as those you lead.
The preparation paid off as the Lions continued competing with energy and determination in the fourth quarter of the championship game. Fleming credits the entire TCS community for contributing to the team’s success, including the small acts of encouragement that made a lasting impact. From the 5th/6th grade cheerleaders keeping the crowd energized to a supportive text or phone call, a video clip to a father celebrating a great play, or a mother offering encouragement to her son in the car line. Those moments helped create a culture where players and families felt supported, connected, and valued.
Faith was woven into every part of the season. Fleming encouraged coaches to close practices with devotions, and the team prayed after every game. Proverbs 21:31 served as a guiding reminder: “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord.” Fleming emphasized that God remains present through both the peaks and valleys of life. Players were challenged to work hard, persevere through difficulties, and honor God with their effort, recognizing their abilities as gifts from their Creator.
Football also provided an opportunity to develop character. Fleming wants his players to understand how to compete with a warrior mentality on the field while remaining kind, respectful, and Christlike off it. Learning to serve others, respect teachers, and treat family members with kindness, he believes, helps shape the future leaders God has called them to be.
While the championship was a tremendous accomplishment, Fleming hopes his players carry the season’s lessons into every area of life. He wants them to remember whose image they were created in and to maximize the potential God has given them. His message is simple: pursue opportunities wholeheartedly, work hard, and live without regrets. “GO FOR IT,” is the challenge he wants his players to remember.
Fleming also expressed heartfelt gratitude to the parents who managed schedules, adapted to changes, encouraged their sons, and trusted the coaching staff throughout the season. “You are raising excellent young men,” he said, thanking families for their commitment and the character they continue to cultivate in their sons.
Ultimately, the championship reflected the collective effort of players, coaches, families, and TCS community. The 2026 5th and 6th grade Lions competed with heart, learned through adversity, and demonstrated the power of brotherhood, perseverance, and faith. Their championship celebrates a remarkable season, however the character they developed along the way may prove to be their greatest victory. The TCS Varsity football coaching staff is counting the days until this group of tender warriors joins the team on Friday nights under the lights in Lions stadium.
