Many athletes tend to play only one sport, believing it may take up more time and energy.

However, Malik Walker has proven that playing more than one sport can benefit overall athleticism.

Walker started playing little league baseball at the age of three.

His mother then placed him in soccer, the YMCA Youth Basketball League and also in the Little League Football.

He continued playing baseball, basketball, and football into his middle school and up to his senior year of high school.

Walker was given the role as the starting quarterback his senior year.

He took his football team to the playoffs and made Coyote history.

Walker said that he pushes himself day-by-day in order to succeed.

“I like to compete. I can’t just sit in off-season and go through the routine and workout… The coaches at Heritage said that if you could play a sport, you are going to play a sport. You are going to help out our teams with what you can. I really took that into my decision to do all three sports,” he said.

Walker said he is able overcome adversity and become a great athlete through the support he gets from his parents.

“We want to make sure he always does his best. We challenge him to ensure that’s actually done. We push him to go the extra mile, to succeed even more,” said Mr. Alonzo Burns, Walker’s stepfather.

Walker said he is always busy and active with everything he does.

“I don’t like to not finish a task, but to complete it now and do my best. Even, if it is just something simple as me just wanting to beat you at anything,” he said.

Not only does he have the ability to play multiple sports, he’s able to become a natural leader through his teammates’ and coaches’ eyes.

“He is a great leader, a great teammate. Just a good person overall and he’s a good ball player,” said Aaron Weseman, junior.

“He likes to make sure that everybody stays in tune with what we are doing and staying focus on the ultimate goal, which is winning,” said Romelo Robinson, senior.

“He’s been district MVP. He really puts our offense together,” said Kene Nwangwu, junior.

Coaches find that Walker has a mindset of a hard worker on the field and in the classroom.

He currently takes AP and Pre-AP classes to push his education.

After graduation, Walker plans to attend and play football for Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, where he plans to study law.