Building Better Futures: How SOSA is Empowering Thomasville’s Youth
THOMASVILLE, NC— Nestled in the rolling hills of North Carolina's Piedmont region, the city of Thomasville has long been a place of quiet pride and deep-rooted community. For generations, its identity was inextricably linked to one name: Thomasville Furniture Industries (TFI). As the hometown of one of the nation's largest furniture manufacturers, the city bustled with a purpose, its economy humming along on the strength of American craftsmanship. But when the furniture giant relocated, the silence that fell over the town was palpable. It was a common story in a post-industrial America—a major employer leaves, and a community is left to navigate the economic and social void. For Thomasville, this void was particularly deep, impacting everything from local businesses to the morale of its youngest citizens.
In the years following TFI's departure, the town's economic development stalled. While the economy has slowly begun to recover through the resilience and hard work of its people, the impact on youth development has lingered. The positive outlets that once shaped young lives—the sports teams, the community programs, the sense of collective purpose—were suffering. It was in this environment that Derek Ruff, a Thomasville native, felt a powerful call to action.
A former student-athlete and a U.S. Army veteran, Ruff had spent years working with youth in Raleigh and Hickory, North Carolina, as a coach, behavioral interventionist, and special education teacher assistant. He saw firsthand what was missing back home. "I quickly realized that our youth in Thomasville (and beyond) needed more than just positive outlets," Ruff reflects. "They need hope, encouragement, leadership, and empowerment." He saw a gap where essential life skills were no longer being instilled in young people.
This was the genesis of Square One Sports Academy (SOSA). After years of brainstorming, trial and error, and personal growth, Ruff launched SOSA in 2018. The mission was clear: "To Empower the lives of student-athletes, their families, and the community that surround them." This wasn't about building a sports dynasty; it was about building people.
Beyond the Field: The SOSA WAY
SOSA's philosophy is embodied in a unique, personally created model called the **SOSA WAY**. This approach prioritizes teaching young people how to transfer the skills they learn "from court, to classroom, to life." For Ruff, sports were always more than just a game. Plagued by injuries during his own collegiate career, he learned early on to view athletics from an academic perspective. "Athletics require perseverance, determination, and integrity," he says. These are the very values he now strives to instill in the next generation.
One of the most remarkable features of SOSA is its commitment to academic empowerment. Every participant, regardless of their athletic ability or financial status, receives a guaranteed minimum of $1,000 in tuition rewards. These rewards can be used at nearly 400 colleges across the country and are not tied to continued play. "The rewards are not based upon your ability, continued play, and can be transferred to anyone you choose," Ruff explains. It's a game-changer for families, offering a tangible return on their investment and a powerful incentive to focus on both athletic and academic growth.
A Two-Part Strategy for Change
SOSA operates through two main divisions: the Community Engagement Division and the Sports Division. This dual approach underscores the organization's holistic view of youth development.
The Community Engagement Division (CED) is designed to directly address the needs of the Thomasville community. Its primary goal is to empower lives and encourage philanthropy by assisting qualifying individuals with challenges like homelessness, unemployment, and other areas of need. The division’s first steps are to help individuals find the tools they need to define and achieve success, while also giving young athletes the opportunity to volunteer and give back to the community that supports them. Programs like PAWS (Prosperity and Wellness Services) are at the core of this effort, providing individualized assistance with home ownership, continuing education, and employment aid. By helping veterans, the underemployed, and those "just above the poverty threshold," SOSA's CED proves that its mission extends far beyond the playing field.
The SOSA Sports Division offers a comprehensive set of opportunities for any student-athlete, in any sport. Its flagship program, the SDC Scholarship Camps, provides youth players and their families with up to $24,000 in guaranteed college tuition rewards. Ruff is the only SDC director in the area granting scholarships to youth as young as five years old. "Parents benefit most by getting more than their monies worth," Ruff says. "By allowing their children to participate in a program that is affordable and rewarding in their child's present and future."
Derek Ruff's passion is evident when he speaks about the program. "As a former collegiate athlete plagued with injuries, I learned early on to view sports from an academic perspective," he says. His military training and experience in human services have given him a unique perspective on the importance of discipline, teamwork, and character. For Ruff, the ultimate reward as a coach is "to know that you have impacted a player in a way that sets them up for success."
The Future of Thomasville
SOSA is designed to be an all-inclusive program, capable of expanding to complement any team or league. The organization assists with college recruiting through partners like Mission Athletics, provides academic support, and is even developing a coaches academy, an empowerment movement tour, and a youth football league.
The story of Thomasville is a story of a town refusing to be defined by its past. Through the hard work of its residents and the vision of people like Derek Ruff, the city is finding new ways to rebuild. SOSA is at the forefront of this effort, providing not just an outlet for athletic talent, but a foundation for lifelong success. By teaching young people that the lessons of the game are the lessons of life, SOSA is helping to ensure that Thomasville's best days are not behind it, but are still being written, one empowered life at a time.
