above: Stamford High senior Ejai is the starting QB for the Black Knights football team and co-captain of the basketball team. His sister, junior Jalynn, played in last season’s state basketball tournament and also shines in soccer and lacrosse. Their superfan parents Jay and Edith both grew up in Stamford. – Photographs: (above) by Kyle Norton; others: contributed
Edith Presley has seen Stamford sports over the years from more lenses than most. Growing up here, she witnessed firsthand the community’s interest in athletics. She graduated from Westhill High School, where she served as the statistician for the girls’ basketball team under coach Brenda Birch.
She also saw the important role sports plays in the community as a longtime district educator. She has served in various capacities, including as principal at Julia Stark Elementary and co-principal at Roxbury Elementary. Currently, she is the president of Cradle to Career, a community-wide partnership that aligns resources to improve the lives of Stamford children.
“I think Stamford is a great town and a great city,” Presley says. “They both apply. We function a whole lot like a town. When there’s success, people want to be part of that. It’s magnetic. I see it now as a parent, and I’ve seen it as an educator. I strived to cultivate that sense of belonging within the schools. People want to be part of what’s going on.”
Presley has lived in town her entire life, except for attending Grambling University in Louisiana and a brief stint in South Carolina. Her primary sports perspective these days revolves around watching her two children excel as standout athletes at Stamford High School.
Local sports legend Pete Stokes calls her son Ejai, a senior, “the best QB Stamford has ever seen.” He led the football team to a state playoff berth last year as the starting quarterback.
We will captain both the football and basketball teams this year. Presley’s daughter, Jalynn, a junior, plays basketball for the Black Knights, which also made last season’s state tournament, as well as soccer and lacrosse.
“I think the majority of my close friends are [my friends] because we sat on the sidelines for so many sports,” Presley says. “Those relationships have been so valuable. They have friends who have been teammates since they were five years old. The other thing I enjoy is having a wholesome place for my kids to be. The threats of inappropriate content are everywhere. The sense of having to be somewhere and contributing to the greater whole is great for them. It means a lot less TikTok. And it’s not just physical—they’re collaborating, learning life lessons.”
Presley has also experienced how Stamford has become the stomping grounds for local recruiters. She’s seen interest from neighboring private schools that would love to have Ejai and Jalynn wear their colors. She has found, however, support and coaching in Stamford public schools that have worked for her children.
“We’ve been blessed,” she says. “The gratitude and dedication that has been shown to my children have been wonderful. For the informed parent, it’s an awesome place. If you are intentional and selective about the academic tracks for your kids, Stamford is a good place for students to attend school and play sports.”
When asked how we might ensure and expand future success in Stamford, Presley says, “It’s important to provide access to quality skilled programs early. With some intentional emphasis, we could open up more access points for families trying to hook into them.”
And then we all win.