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By Stephen Cowles
Contributing Writer

During an interview on a sports program earlier this spring, Franklin High School alumnus Xavier Scott suddenly remembered what he had forgotten: that he had been presented the High School Broyles Award as Regional Assistant Coach of the Year for Region 3 – 757. The honor had been an acknowledgment of his work as a top offensive coordinator for the football team at Southampton High School.

Scott, who graduated from FHS in 1997, certainly knows something about the game. As a Bronco and four-year letterman, his field performance had earned him recognition as an All-District Quarterback, an All-Region Quarterback, and an Honorable Mention State Quarterback. In addition, Scott had earned a Division I full scholarship to Hampton University, where he majored in mass communications and minored in media journalism.

“I played at Hampton University and won three conference championships, the SBN National Championships, and the McDonald’s Heritage Bowl,” he said.

In his fourth year, Scott transferred to Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina, home of the Mighty Vikings and also a historically Black university. He would go on to become an All-Conference Tight End.

“After college, I played for [the] Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent. The training camp was in the spring of 2004,” Scott added.

Afterward, he went into business management and also started a multimedia company, Mann-Up Multimedia. Together with his cousin, Greg Scott, they produced “Our Daily Bread.”

“That did well on Amazon, Prime and Tubi,” said the founder, who also has the Kulture Shock Podcast, another entity of Mann-Up Multimedia.

Scott remains a Senior Vice President and Meals Packing Coordinator for Greg’s Cover 3 Foundation (C3F) here in Franklin. All that he’s accomplished recently put him in the Marquis Who’s Who.

The award mentioned at the start of this article is named for Frank Broyles, a former University of Arkansas Athletic Director, and was established in 1996. The ceremony during which Scott was honored happened during the Commonwealth Coaches’ Association in August 2023 at Highland Springs High School in Richmond. Scott had learned then he had been nominated by another coach – identity unnamed – at Lakeland High School in Suffolk. The honoree was himself an assistant coach there from 2014-2018.

“It was a surprise and a shocker to me,” Scott recalled about being recognized. “I don’t do it for personal recognition. I do it for the growth and development for the players. I want to be a personal and positive influence in their lives.”

He continued, “I’m eternally grateful [for the honors]. I couldn’t do it without the kids or the coaching staff. All glory to God and respect to the kids — they’re the ones competing. I never want to make it about myself.”

Following his time at Lakeland, Scott took a year off from coaching and devoted the time to his children: daughter Alyssa Scott and sons Xavier “Deuce” Scott Jr. and Mason Scott, the youngest. Carleena Scott is his wife and mother. Scott’s parents are Janet Wiggins of North Carolina and Henry Muhammad of Washington, D.C., and he’s the brother of Kim Everett, Henry Scott Jr., Zakki Scott, and Maryom Scott.

When the opportunity to help coach the Southampton High School Indians in the 2021 season, Scott got started.

“I wanted to pour the passion and love I have for the game into the young men of Western Tidewater,” he said. “My first season we had a great season with the first playoff in 21 years. It was a huge deal. Also, there was a 100 percent graduation rate for the team. Five young men signed on to play on the collegiate level.

“I just appreciate the opportunity,” Scott said.

Travis Parker, the head coach of varsity football at SHS, said of Scott, “I’ve known of him back when he played football at Franklin. I knew how well he did. I became more acquainted once he started working at Cover3 with Greg Scott, and knew he got into coaching and I learned more about him in community.”

Parker, who took over the head coach job in 2019, had talked with Scott about joining his staff at Southampton for the 2021 season.

Asked to comment on Scott’s award, Parker said, “It’s very well-deserved. He’s a student of the game and has a passion and very good knowledge of the game.”

The coach continued, “Since being on staff, Scott has definitely added tremendous value, not just the x’s and o’s but also getting players opportunities at the next level in college.”

Kevin Knight, a former colleague at Lakeland High, remembers when Coach Potts (2013-2015) had hired Scott as an offense coordinator.

“He was in charge of our offense, calling the plays, and running them how needed. Scott helped lead our team to its first regional game against Phoebus High in 2016,” said Knight, who became the head coach in 2015.

Knight continued to say of Scott, “He’s a great guy and a great coach. Always dependable and on time. He worked his butt off. The way he built relationships with these kids was amazing. He’s a great person overall. He loves what he does.”–