The Nansemond River High School track and field program has helped many student-athletes make their transition to the next level by enabling them to earn scholarships, and most of the time it is a college coach offering them.

But this year, one of those offers came to a member of Nansemond River’s program courtesy of NR alum and track standout Mia McClain.

McClain was recalling running NR track in the “old days” — all the way back in 2014 — and wanted to help out. After graduating last year, she recently completed her first year running track on scholarship at the Virginia Military Institute.

“I know sometimes, even when people go to school, if they get money for track, it doesn’t always cover books, because I know mine didn’t,” she said. “And then I thought, ‘Well, if I’m going through this problem, I know other people are.’”

It dovetailed with another thought she had been developing.

“I had already been talking with my mom about setting something up to give back, especially to the school that got me where I am,” McClain said.

The scholarship would help deal with expenses like books, extra food and travel to and from school, McClain said.

To a Nansemond River athlete in a situation similar to the one she found herself in not long ago, McClain noted the scholarship would be a way of saying, “Here’s a cushion for you doing what you need to do to further yourself in life.”

McClain’s mom determined it should be $500 based on her daughter’s book costs, and Mia McClain earned and produced that sum.

“This is money I earned during the summer and working at (VMI),” she said.

Lady Warriors coach Justin Byron said he has never heard of a college athlete extending such a scholarship offer.

“Just a beautiful idea,” he said. “To hear that an athlete that you coached wanted to give back to another athlete in the program to make their collegiate transition smoother, I was speechless.”

It was left up to him to determine who should receive the scholarship, and he gave it to Courtney James, who has now graduated and is beginning her time at Hampton University this year.

In addition to being a leader like McClain, “she was just a hard worker that got the job done with no complaints,” he said on why she was the recipient.

McClain was pleased with his selection.

“I knew from running track with her last year, she would always help out and stuff like that,” McClain said. “I feel like she deserved it most definitely.”

James said that during Byron’s presentation speech, he mentioned he automatically thought of her for the award.

“It was just a great feeling, knowing that he actually was proud of me and thought about me,” she said.

James said knowing the scholarship came from McClain “was cool, because when we were on the team together, she was such a leader, and she was always a role model, and she just led the team so well, and it’s like we share a bond now, because she gave it to me.”

Based on her grades and test scores, James has a merit scholarship. She also has a housing scholarship, and now she has a bit more for the extras, thanks to Mia McClain.