Fundraising Progress To Date
- $10,927,466
- $12,800,000
Our Vision
Briarcrest Christian School opened its doors in 1973 with a vision to provide an excellent Christian education for families across the Mid-South. Since that time, our school has experienced tremendous and exciting seasons of growth. Today, Briarcrest remains true to its mission to challenge and inspire college-bound students to know and honor Jesus Christ, seek God’s truth and wisdom in all disciplines, and pursue excellence and integrity in their academic, creative, and athletic endeavors.
In addition to our outstanding academic offerings, the Briarcrest Athletics Department has a rich history of being a leader locally, regionally, and across the state of Tennessee. Offering 19 high school sports teams for boys and girls, our athletic program is among the most comprehensive and successful in the Mid-South. In fact, over 78% of Briarcrest middle school and high school students, representing over 600 families, participate in athletics. Year after year, we cheer our teams in regional, divisional, and state championship games in Tennessee Division II AA High School Athletics.
In 2020, Briarcrest won THREE State Championships in Volleyball, Girls’ Soccer and Cheer. The following year, Briarcrest teams competed for another three State Championships in Volleyball, Baseball and Boys’ Lacrosse, and brought home the 2021 State Title in Boys’ Lacrosse. Since the fall of 2017, Briarcrest Athletics has celebrated 95 student athletes signing to continue their athletic careers at the next level.
Our athletic mission remains strong - to promote the highest standard of sportsmanship while developing athletes of character who perform at their highest levels. Because our donors have invested in our student athletes and our coaches have challenged them to use their talent to the fullest, our young men and women are leaders, not just on the fields and courts of competition, but in college and life.
The Opportunity
In the spring of 2021, Briarcrest leadership initiated an athletic master planning process to identify current and future areas of program growth. With a strategic focus on the health, wellness, and development of our student athletes, the planning process also sought ways to enhance the school campus and sustain our excellence in athletics.
With a clear vision for the future of Briarcrest Athletics, the Briarcrest Board of Trustees launched Building. Competing. Leading. An Athletic Campaign for Briarcrest Christian School in the spring of 2022. Providing the fields upon which our young men and women compete and achieve their greatest athletic potential is only the beginning. We want to also create the very best environments in which our coaches can mentor and disciple their players as authentic followers of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, Building. Competing. Leading. an athletic campaign for Briarcrest Christian School will fund three projects to support skill development at the elementary level and championship-level competition at the middle and high school levels. With a campaign working goal of $12,800,000, we are raising funds for enhancements to our Elementary and Middle School Practice Fields and a leading-edge Athletic Training and Development Center complete with a Covered Practice Field.
The Project
ATHLETIC TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER – $6,200,000*
A showcase addition to the Briarcrest campus, the Athletic Training and Development Center will benefit student athletes from across campus. Along the main corridor leading to the much-needed locker room for our girls’ soccer and track team members, student athletes will enjoy a theatre-style room for lectures and film review, a nutrition and recovery area, as well as a student lounge and study space. Student athletes will also find a new weight room and training room for rehabilitation after workouts and practices. Construction of this center will allow for renovations to our existing wrestling practice room, creation of a meeting room for girls’ and boys’ basketball and volleyball, enhancement of our existing training room, and additional storage for our indoor sports.
COVERED PRACTICE FIELD – $5,300,000*
Adjacent to the Athletic Training and Development Center, a covered, 70-yard, artificial turf field will offer unprecedented versatility for our teams. With shelter from inclement weather, our girls’ and boys’ soccer, girls’ and boys’ lacrosse, and football teams will maintain their routine by rarely missing a practice.
ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL PRACTICE FIELDS ENHANCEMENTS – $1,300,000*
The addition of artificial turf, as well as lighting and a scoreboard, to one of the two new elementary fields will maximize the practice and game time schedules for our youngest athletes on football, lacrosse, soccer, softball, baseball, and t-ball teams. Additional lighting on the middle school field will also enhance experiences for our middle school student athletes.
*2022 Construction Estimates
Your Invitation
Building upon the momentum of recent sportsplex enhancements, we are creating new environments where we can celebrate our athletic history and traditions while continuing to challenge our students to achieve their greatest potential as leaders on and off the playing field. The positive effect of Briarcrest Athletics on those it serves is a result of the generous support of our families, alumni, and friends. Together, we will make this capital campaign one of the greatest achievements in our school’s history.
Your gift to Building. Competing. Leading. may be established as a commitment, payable over three years. However, commitments do not necessarily have to be made in equal installments. Some families, for instance, have chosen to give more generously in their first payment so that Briarcrest may move toward construction as quickly as possible. Thank you for your prayerful consideration of a commitment in support of Building. Competing. Leading. an athletic campaign for Briarcrest Athletics.
Ways to Give
Multi-year Commitments: Commitments may be extended over three years. For example, a commitment of $1,500 may be paid in three annual installments of $500 each.
One-time Gifts: One-time gifts may be made online by credit or debit card transaction. Please visit www.briarcrest.com/give to give today. If you prefer to mail a gift to the school, please make your check payable to Briarcrest Christian School, and send it to: Briarcrest Christian School, Attn: Office of Development, 76 S. Houston Levee Road, Bldg SC, Eads, TN 38028.
Matching Gifts: Your gift may be multiplied by your employer’s matching gift program. Please visit www.briarcrest.com/support/matching-gifts to see if your company has a matching gift program.
Stock Gifts: Gifts of appreciated stock may be advantageous for many donors. Contact Lendon Ellis at 901-765-4665 or lcellis@briarcrest.com for more information.
Planned Gifts: Carefully planning gifts can help meet your philanthropic and financial goals, as well as ours. Planned gifts could include securities, retirement plan distributions (including RMDs), a trust, life insurance policies, real estate, or other personal property. Contact Lendon Ellis at 901-765-4665 or lcellis@briarcrest.com for more information.
All gifts to Briarcrest Christian School are tax-deductible as provided by law. Please consult your tax advisor regarding your individual tax situation.