POST FALLS - The National Collegiate Athletic Association will now recognize Genesis Prep Academy courses for athletes who plan to compete at any NCAA school.

"This was a big deal for us," Chris Finch, Genesis Prep principal. "We have some athletes who are now being recruited to compete in the NCAA and otherwise wouldn't be able to participate (without the NCAA stamp of approval).

"Now student-athletes can go straight from Genesis to playing at a university."

Genesis Prep is a private, K-12 Christian school that operates at Real Life Ministries in Post Falls.

School officials believe Genesis Prep is one of the first private schools in North Idaho to receive NCAA approval for its courses.

To earn the approval, the school was required to submit its graduation standards, attendance requirements, financial data and other information.

Genesis just completed its ninth year overall as a school and has offered high school levels for the past five years.

Finch said there hasn't been a need to receive the NCAA approval until now.

"We haven't had any students go to a four-year school for athletics," said Finch, adding that a student being recruited for hockey got the ball rolling to obtain the approval.

The approval is the third development in the past two years at the school regarding courses.

The school became accredited through AdvancED in 2012. In the fall of this school year, Genesis became dually accredited when it was approved through the Association of Christian Schools International.

"I am extremely proud of our GPA team for its dedication in providing the highest quality and creative educational programs for our students," Finch said.

Genesis' boys' basketball program plans to become an associate member of the Idaho High School Activities Association in the fall and become a full member during the 2015-16 school year. The move will allow GPA to compete in 1A district and state tournaments.

The golf programs are already IHSAA associate members in the 2A classification.