TCA Monthly Alumni Spotlight – Isaiah Ford
"So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
- 1 Corinthians 10:31
This scripture serves as a guiding light for the TCA Athletics Department. With sports ranging from basketball, tennis, and baseball, all the way to track and field, soccer, and golf, TCA takes pride in the development and future of all student athletes. The TCA football team is a prime example of this in action, with 9 state championships and 15 regional championships leading to 11 players in the National Football League (NFL). This month’s spotlight focuses on one of those NFL players – Isaiah Ford, a 2014 TCA Alum.
Isaiah is no newcomer to success in football. During his senior year at TCA, he had 717 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns. This caught the eye of Virginia Tech, where he played all 13 games as a true freshman with 11 starts, 56 receptions for 709 yards, and 6 touchdowns. As a sophomore, he was named first-team All-ACC and set Virginia Tech’s single-season records for receptions and touchdowns. As a junior, he was named second-team All-ACC, recording 73 receptions for 1,038 yards and 7 touchdowns. After his junior season, Isaiah entered the 2017 NFL Draft and was selected by the Miami Dolphins.
Thinking about what he is most proud of regarding his career so far, Isaiah reflected on his steadfastness. “[I’m] focused on controlling the things I can control,” said Isaiah. “Throughout every storm and piece of adversity I’ve faced, I haven’t wavered on who I am, not only as an athlete, but more importantly as a person.”
Isaiah began learning this valuable lesson while at TCA as he navigated through his coursework. “Trinity made the [academic] transition to college very fluid, because of how rigorous the courses are,” said Isaiah. “So, when I got to college, there wasn’t a hard adjustment that needed to be made.”
Isaiah’s time at TCA did not only prepare him for college, but for life beyond it. “In life, Trinity taught me how to lean on your faith, your support system, and the things you believe in when things get difficult,” he said. “Storms occur in everyone’s life, and sometimes we can’t control when or what happens. But we do control the way we respond to those things, and that’s something I’m proud to say being at Trinity laid the foundation for.”
When not focused on all things football, Isaiah is focused on all things God. He fondly remembers his favorite memory at TCA as the day he rededicated his life. “October 18, 2013, I renewed my life to Christ,” he said. “One of my favorite memories of all time with Coach Cosson.” Isaiah credits TCA as having a major influence on his relationship with God today. “Trinity helped me strengthen my relationship with Christ and gave me a foundation to lean on,” he said. “From Trinity, I learned some of my favorite verses that I live by each day: Proverbs 3:5-6, Jeremiah 29:11, and Proverbs 22:1.” These verses serve as daily reminders to him of how he wants to live his life and what he wants others to think of when they see him.
Isaiah is truly grateful for all that TCA has blessed him with and encourages prospective students to consider TCA without hesitation. “I think it’s the best decision you could make,” he said. “Academically, athletically, [but] more importantly, spiritually.”
To learn more about TCA and how it empowered other alum like Isaiah to discover and live out their God-given purpose, visit https://tcajax.org/.
