To honor this week's A+ Athlete, Daniel Gotera headed over to Sherman High School for a young man who is a leader on the football team and always puts his family first.

This week's A+ Athlete is Stephen Doss from Sherman High School. Stephen ranks 27th in his class with a 3.6 grade point average and says his achievements in the classroom go hand-in-hand with what he's been able to accomplish in athletics.

"It’s a challenge and you have to look at it like that, whenever you're doing academics you have to think why are you doing the things you're doing and its because you have people depending on you," Stephen says.

Because of his leadership abilities, Stephen was named one of the captains on the football team.

It is an honor that Bearcats head coach Drew Young had never bestowed on anyone before at the onset of the season.

"He is a unique young man, and he is the reason I continue to coach to be able to be around young men like him."

In addition to being the starting nose guard for the Bearcat defense, Stephen is also ranked eighth in the state in power lifting.

The influence of two special people in his life has made Stephen be the best he can be.

"My grandmother and mother are really the only things I think about when I am doing anything. Whenever I am power lifting I always think that I am doing this for them and if I didn’t have them, I wouldn't know what to do."

Off the field and outside the classroom, Stephen is involved in Great Days of Service, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and a variety of other activities.

But working hard in the weight room is where he loves to be.

"My brother was my biggest inspiration for power lifting, for football… I just wanted to be better than him, and of course who wouldn’t want to be better then their older brother?" Stephen says.

Congratulations to Stephen Doss on being named this week's A+ Athlete.

We'll introduce you to another A+ Athlete every Friday here on First News AM. School officials, coaches, teachers, and counselors are encouraged to send in your nominees.

A+ Athlete
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