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With such a small team, it could have been a rebuilding year. Instead, the young and inexperienced squad made a remarkable run, advancing all the way to the D2 state championship in its very first season. Though they fell just short of the title, the foundation had been laid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Momentum carried forward. As the middle school program grew, Riverside Christian Academy turned to France once again \u2014 this time to take over the high school team as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI took over the high school program and began coaching both teams,\u201d he said. \u201cWe won the D2 state championship with the high school team. With the middle school team, we made it to the finals again but came up short, finishing as runner-up twice in two years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After losing three seniors, the high school team was expected to enter a rebuilding year. Instead, last season became a testament to the hard work and dedication of both the players and their families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe won three tournaments over Christmas [break], a district championship, and made it to the final four of the D1 state tournament,\u201d France said. \u201cWe finished the season 25-6.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Under France\u2019s leadership, with his wife, Lindsey, serving as an assistant coach, the programs have found not only success but also consistency. The mission has never been solely about winning games. Instead, the focus is on helping young women become the best version of themselves \u2014 on and off the court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cInitially, my goal was just to develop the kids, and as we went on, it became more,\u201d he explained. \u201cYou start to look at it differently. You\u2019re not just developing basketball players \u2014 you\u2019re developing young women. When you invest in who they are as people, the winning often follows.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That philosophy shapes everything he does \u2014 from practices to game days to the resources he provides his players away from the court. Recognizing that not every athlete has equal access to training opportunities, France took an extraordinary step \u2014 he built a full-size basketball court on his own property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI realized that there are kids who just don\u2019t have anywhere to go to practice,\u201d he explained. \u201cMaybe they can\u2019t afford lessons. We welcome those who are just looking to play basketball and learn more about the sport. We don\u2019t charge them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n France is committed to removing. barriers and creating opportunities for anyone in the community willing to put in the work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m a very competitive person, but when I look at my players, I want to know what else I can do to help them get where they want to be,\u201d said France. \u201cI don\u2019t want them to settle. They don\u2019t have excuses here \u2014 we\u2019re setting them up for success.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That competitive drive is unmistakable, but it is balanced by a deeper purpose \u2014 one that prioritizes growth, character, and self-worth rooted in faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey know we love them,\u201d he said. \u201cThey know that we care about them. They\u2019re not just a number to us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n France added that basketball provides the platform, but the greater calling is to serve others, encourage them, and help them discover their God-given gifts. He said the lessons taught in the gym are ultimately lessons about life \u2014 working hard, treating others with respect, and overcoming adversity. GN<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Success on the basketball court is often measured in wins and losses. But at Riverside Christian Academy, Coach Robbie France says the greatest victories aren\u2019t always found on the scoreboard \u2014 they\u2019re found in the faith, character, and confidence young athletes develop every day. Long before he was drawing up plays or leading practices, France […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":26277,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[69,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26273","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fayetteville","category-feature"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/fayetteville\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/4-4-1024x683.jpg\")
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