Roxboro Community School (RCS) alumni Christian Ingram said he wanted to “give back through the game of basketball to the place and the people that gave me so much and allowed me to grow.”
While working on his master of science in business administration degree at Liberty University, Ingram is serving as assistant to RCS men’s basketball coach Justin Bettendorf. He said he had been approached by others about coaching at different schools, but Bettendorf was his top choice to work with.
Ingram said some of his fondest high school memories were of playing basketball at RCS and “the consistent and growing fan/community support from the beginning, when we weren’t that good, to the point where, every year, we were contending for a conference championship.”
His senior season stands out in particular. That year, Ingram became the first 1,000-point scorer in school history. He also made All State and All Conference and was Conference Player of the Year in 2015. Another great memory is having his RCS jersey – Number 23 – retired, where it “will forever hang in the rafters.”
Now, he said, he is grateful for both the memories he has of RCS and to be able to serve as assistant basketball coach at his alma mater while studying online for his master’s degree. After he completes his master’s in May of this year, Ingram plans to pursue a career that involves marketing and branding. His undergraduate degree, from Elon University, is in exercise science, with a minor in sports management.
Ingram said RCS prepared him well for college and career. “The advanced and structured curriculum prepared me for my freshman year of college. Coming in, I felt that I was way ahead of those in my freshman class regarding knowledge and ability to handle workloads,” he said.
“RCS allowed me to look for community in every aspect of my life, whether it is business or school. It is hard for me to get on board with a group or team if I see there is no sense of community. Creating genuine relationships with people is something that I take seriously and look for everywhere I go, because RCS is a community of genuine people who are family and help each other,” Ingram said.
When asked how he would advise current students who hope to be successful after their high school graduation, Ingram said, “As I tell my players, in life things are not always going to go the way we plan. Sometimes our mishaps or things we do can impact things not going our way, but sometimes things happen to us that we just cannot control. But, it is how we react and respond to things in our life that will either make us or break us. A great quote I live by is, ‘Any man can win when things go his way, but it is the man that overcomes adversity that is the true champion.’”
Ingram also advises students to “go out and meet people. Talk to people, connect, and be nice to people because you never know who knows who, and that random person you talk to today could be connected to someone that can change your life tomorrow.”
For parents and students considering RCS, Ingram said, “If you want to go to (or want your child to go to) a loving, caring, challenging FAMILY that will force you to grow, and prepare you for life beyond high school, Roxboro Community School is the only choice you need to make. I graduated almost seven years ago and I can still call on faculty, friends and family at RCS and I always feel that I can come home and still be treated like [a student] there.” He added, “RCS is the best choice if you want to expand yourself beyond just being a student. Whether it is athletics, arts, clubs, leadership or other extracurricular activities, under the leadership of Mr. Ebert, Mr. Bryant and Mrs. Ingram, you – or your child – will be prepared, ready, and given the best opportunity to succeed.”
Aside from school, Ingram said his family’s love, support and encouragement has been a big influence in his life and success. He said his faith also plays a large role in his life. His belief in God, he said, gives him the assurance that he is never alone and “knowing that gives me confidence and a push to know that I can do anything I set my mind to.”
