By Jordyn Davis | For the Birmingham Times
Dr. Keonna Farmer has been keeping student athletes in check since 2020. As a former athlete, she saw firsthand what it takes to be prepared both athletically and professionally. Today, she’s focused on building young athletes from the ground up through discipline, preparing them for life beyond the field or the court.
“Today’s athletes are lacking with the transitional piece and just the overall 360-degree development model. For them, it’s just athletics, conditioning and training. Where’s the accountability piece? Where’s the study hall for the athletes?” Farmer asked.
Throughout her journey in managing athletes, Farmer has strived to stay consistent with herself and her mentees. As a former Athletic Director at I3 Academy High School and owner of two sports consulting businesses, Farmer has seen an alarming rise in the growing disconnect between athletic performances and life preparedness. Through her businesses, Champs & Success and Farmer Sports Management, she works to bridge the gap.
“I do NIL [name, image and likeness] consulting for student athletes. I do 360 development for them, which includes entrepreneurship, mental health, leadership development, career development and helping them transition from high school to college to real life. It’s all the same, just different focal points,” Farmer said.
Farmer says the academic standards for athletes have dropped significantly in the past decade. Athletes are expected to perform in the field, yet those same expectations don’t carry over to the classroom. She says the key to success lies within both the coach and athlete.
“Back then it used to be, if you’re not hitting your grades, you don’t get to play. You have coaches nowadays who allow kids to get away with a lot of those things,” Farmer said. “And the moment you let them get away, you mess up the program. That’s where leadership comes in; teen bonding, bringing in people to support your athletes, mentoring programs, letting them receive consequences.”
From athletics to entrepreneurship
Farmer’s advice doesn’t come from simple observation. Starting her athletic journey in college laid the groundwork for her transition to mentorship and, eventually, owning multiple businesses.
After college, Farmer began coaching girls’ basketball at Center Point High School before getting the call that she was being considered for the Athletic Director position at I3 Academy High School, something she felt she wasn’t prepared for.
“I found out they [I3 Academy] needed an athletic director and I was like, ‘I don’t want to do that.’ I’d never been an athletic director, and I felt like I had so much going on. Maybe it was because I’d never seen myself in that role. After getting the job, I fell in love with athletic administration. I felt like it was my calling,” Farmer said.
According to Farmer, this role shaped her and gave her the necessary tools to advocate for others. In that role, she facilitated compliance operations and managed the well-being of student-athletes.
Now, as a commissioner of the Women’s National Basketball League, she gets to bring that advocacy to the court.
Farmer says she couldn’t have done it without faith, even when she felt like she had so many odds against her.
“If you think about sports management and being a Black woman in sports… it’s just a male-dominated space. Thankfully, I had some really good mentors that guided me and supported me. I felt like there were people way more qualified than me, but I was still able to prevail,” Farmer said.
As she continues to support and mentor young athletes, Farmer wants sports professionals and parents to educate themselves on the importance of holistic training for athletes. According to Farmer, the first step is research and an overall understanding of how to support educational opportunities.
“I’m grateful to be a part of many success stories,” Farmer said, “and I look forward to mentoring more athletes in Birmingham and beyond.”
To learn more about Champs & Success, visit champsandsuccess.com. For more information on Farmer Sports Management, visit farmersportsmanagement.com.
