TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – When the game of life gets tough, student-athletes may need to know more than just football.

That’s why GameTime Prep, a Tallahassee nonprofit, gives players the tools to win on and off the field.

Since 2016, GameTime Prep has impacted the Tallahassee community by empowering student-athletes through financial literacy, educational support, and reducing health and economic disparities.

The nonprofit helps students like Deborah Perez, a first-generation college student enrolled at Tallahassee State College.

Ed Hill is the CEO and founder of GameTime Prep. He initially founded the organization to help kids like his two sons reach the next level in football. But Hill said he quickly realized there was a greater need in the community and the organization expanded its reach.

“Today we help kids with mental health, the college process and financial literacy,” Hill said.

The program is for girls and boys ages 6 through 12th grade. Hill said participants came from all surrounding counties and states.

“We had young women who wanted to be in the program and these young women weren’t playing soccer, so we introduced them to the production side. They took photos and statistics. We started helping them through their college process and finding out what their goals and dreams were,” Hill said.

Alexus Hill is the daughter of Ed Hill. She is a 7th grade teacher and volunteers teaching financial literacy at a non-profit organization.

She said with student-athletes entering college and receiving credit cards and benefits, there is a great need for financial literacy training.

“The kids were getting all this money that they had never seen before and it was really helpful to show them what they can do to set themselves up for success.” College is the perfect time to start, not after college,” she said.

The nonprofit’s highlight is their annual “Marvin’s Magical Christmas.” The event is named after Marvin Wilson who played at Florida State University. GameTime Prep works with counselors from several Leon County schools to choose children in need. Hill said about 100 of them were able to go shopping at Target.

“Just to see the tears in the parents’ eyes because they don’t know why they’re coming.” They are simply told that they have been selected. You have kids who may have recently lost a parent or parents who say, ‘I had no idea how I was going to celebrate Christmas this year,'” Hill said.

Ed Hill’s vision of helping children become the best versions of themselves continues to grow.

And as it grows, student-athlete success also increases far beyond the field.

“To really make a change in this community, you have to start by changing the mindset about what these kids are doing,” he said.

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