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It was the top of the hour at South Davis Elementary. Fifth graders flooded from the halls onto the gym floor. As they entered, their attention didn’t go to what sport they’d play or which exercises they’d drill.Their focus was on LaQuindia Meadows, the physical education aide who spent the next few minutes rallying the girls who’d lined up to hug her.“If you can hear me, clap once!” Meadows shouted, leading the room to order. “If you can hear me, clap twice!”The 35-year-old Arlington resident pours her all into student sports. In addition to her role at South Davis Elementary, where she’s worked since 2021, she’s the full-time volunteer coordinator for the nonprofit Fellowship Sports Connection. The North Texas faith-based youth sports organization aims to develop student-athletes, particularly those from low-income families, and emphasizes growing their minds and bodies.She sees sports as the first place in a child’s life where they’re encouraged to step out of their comfort zone and understand the value of being courageous and working together. Welcome to 52 Faces

52 Faces of Community is a Fort Worth Report weekly series spotlighting local unsung heroes. It is sponsored by Central Market, H-E-B and JPS Health Network.

At the end of the year, these rarely recognized heroes will gather for a luncheon where the Report will announce one honoree to represent Tarrant County at the Jefferson Awards in Washington, D.C.“Sports are where kids start and where they tune in to say, ‘I can do this,’” Meadows said. “In sportsmanship, they’re asking, ‘how can I show that I’m a leader while I’m in sports?’ It’s showing them how to be a leader in that area, which affects every other area of their lives.”Meadows’ dedication to her students as a physical education aide in Arlington ISD, in addition to her full-time volunteer work as a fundraising coordinator for Fellowship Sports Connection, earned her recognition in 52 Faces of Community, Fort Worth Report’s weekly series highlighting unsung heroes.Meadows speaks as a single mother of three, an educator and a former student athlete.From sixth grade through high school, she played basketball — an experience she said taught her discipline and how to adapt to change. After she earns her teaching certification in June, she hopes to coach basketball at an Arlington elementary or middle school, where she feels sports can be an outlet for mental health, while continuing her nonprofit work.Know an unsung hero in Tarrant County?

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Nominate an unsung hero“Kids are always our future, and we need to pour into the mental health of kids — I see that every day at school and in my own children at home,” she said. “A lot of people don’t speak about mental health, but it’s highly important.”This passion is what drives her to pour her free time into Fellowship Sports Connection. With the organization, she spearheads brand partnerships to provide uniforms, hygiene kits and sports equipment to young athletes in need. During sports events at AT&T Stadium, she coordinates volunteer efforts to staff concession stands that raise funds for additional services, like tutoring sessions and tournament costs. “Meadows exemplifies what it means to lead with compassion, determination and a selfless desire to uplift others,”Justin Dean, teacher at South Davis Elementary, nominatorLaQuindia Meadows, a physical education aide at South Davis Elementary, plays soccer with fifth-grade students during P.E. class on April 16, 2025, in Arlington. (Drew Shaw | Fort Worth Report)Fellowship Sports Connection was founded in 2022. The organization currently only sponsors boys’ sports, but Meadows hopes to expand its reach to girls’ sports soon. Its services are especially needed in Arlington, said Meadows, who moved to the city when she was a fourth grader. Many of the city’s families can’t afford the money or time for student sports without help. At South Davis Elementary, 606 of its 669 students are economically disadvantaged, according to 2024-25 Texas Education Agency data. Districtwide, about 52% of Arlington ISD students qualified for free or reduced-price lunch in the 2023-24 academic year.Before Meadows worked with Fellowship Sports Connection, her children benefited from the organization when she was struggling financially.She uses her position with the nonprofit to push students academically by requiring them to present report cards in order to receive aid. The “no-passing, no-playing” might seem harsh, but it fits with the organization’s mission to set high standards for children and push them to be their best, Meadows said.“I’m an encourager; I say ‘I believe you, you can do this,’ because a lot of kids don’t have that at home,” she said. “They don’t have that belief system surrounding them, and I just want to be a belief system for a lot of kids.”Drew Shaw is a government accountability reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at drew.shaw@fortworthreport.org or @shawlings601. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.