Over the past twelve years, the J P Small Foundation has been involved in the community, educating youth about the legendary Coach James P. “Bubbling” Small who instilled in students character, discipline and a will to win. Recently, the foundation held a comedy roast for founder and CEO Nathaniel Farley, Jr., better known as ‘Coach” to his students, was one of the many young men who reaped the benefits of Coach Smalls coaching and words of wisdom. Farley observed, “He didn’t just prepare us for the game, He prepared us for the game of life.” The comedy roast was held at the St. Thomas Family Life Center, where coaches, family and friends showed up to roast Farley and spew out jokes for a cause.
The legendary Coach James P. Small began his 35 years of coaching and teaching at Franklin Street Grammar School and was appointed Coach at Stanton Senior High School in 1934, where he served as Athletic Director and Head Coach of football, basketball, track and baseball. Coach Smalls was instrumental in organizing the first North-South All Star Football and basketball games for blacks at a time when Jim Crow laws and lynching was a normal sight in the south. “I wanted to do something about coach JP small, so in 2002 Judge Brian Davis told me if anybody could do it, I could. I asked God to give me the strength to endure many things and his healing power gave me a 2nd chance. The JP small foundation is for kids to learn their history and legacy in sports and education. It was Coach James Purcell Small, who inspired me to become a teacher, coach, and administrator.”
The JP Small Foundation is taking steps to improve the community by giving back with passion and accountable, in addition to providing low to medium income elementary and middle school children of color and girls, the opportunity to learn, explore and become inspired to pursue fields in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) disciplines. Fundraising proceeds will benefit the JP small literary program. Pictured is JP Smalls Foundation CEO Nathaniel Farley, Jr., with program participant Judge Brain Davis.
