Dominion's Chatman Young Is Mr. Consistant!
The president of Dominion's DECA Chapter, a deacon at the Church of Jesus Christ., a starter on the Titans' varsity basketball team, and a unanimous selection as team captain: Dominion High School's Chatman Young is all of these things while becoming the first four year starter in Titan football history.
At 6'3'' and 270 pounds, Young is a senior captain and the stellar right guard on the Titans' strong offensive line. Young's first season of tackle football was his freshmen year of high school, the year Dominion High School opened. Despite no experience playing organized football, Young immediately gained a starting position on the varsity team and never looked back.
The years of hard work, effort, and dedication have become obvious to all, and Young has gained a status of respect few reach.
Dominion Head Coach Mike Dougherty states, “Chatman has worked very hard to get where he is. His dedication to off-season conditioning is what separates him from others.”
Young is very aware of the importance of the off-season, saying this is the most pivotal time of year for his team.
“The biggest moment of my football career was being able to watch my team improve during the off-season. Not only have they improved physically, but they have also improved mentally,” Young said.
It's this type of unselfish attitude that has led Young to gain such respect from not only his teammates and coaches, but also his teachers.
Excellence carries off the field and into the classroom for Young. During his high school years, Young has carried a 3.1 GPA while balancing academics with playing two varsity sports for the Titans. Clearly, Young keeps his priorities in order, emphatically stating,
“My academics always come before my sports. In order to succeed in sports, you must succeed in your academics first, and I have been able to grasp that over the past couple of years.”
Though he excels in all his classes, Young labels English as his favorite class, mostly due to the teachers he has had such as Ms. Brown and Mr. Schwartz. What separates Young from many other premier student-athletes is his deep involvement in extracurricular activities aside from sports. Since his freshman year, Young has been taking marketing classes while participating in the marketing organization DECA. In years past, Young has competed at the District level for DECA, and has reached both the State and National DECA Conferences. It was because of this experience, as well as leadership skills, that DECA Advisor Sandy Tucker chose him to be the Dominion Chapter President in 2006-2007. Young will look to bring the same work ethic and effort to the organization as he does to the field.
But none of these accomplishments would ever have been possible without the most important pieces of Young's life: his family and his faith.
“The biggest influences in my life would have to be my grandparents. They have always been there for me and taught me right from wrong since I was a child. They have always wanted what's best for me. Even when I went against what they had taught me, they were still there for me throughout all the trials and tribulations that I have gone through.”
But there is another influence in Young's life that has been part of his life much longer than football: church.
“I also attend church at The Church of Jesus Christ, which is a non-denominational church not to be confused with the Mormon Church. I am a deacon in that church and attend many youth activities.”
These are the two primary influences that have shaped Young's life and made him who he is today. Luckily for Young, the future is looking bright in all aspects of his life. A very goal-oriented and driven individual, Young is well aware of life after high school;
“I plan to go to college to double major in business entrepreneurship and accounting.”
And if his senior season goes as well as expected, Young will be able to fulfill his ultimate goal: to play college football.
Coach Dougherty knows that Young has a great chance of achieving that, stating, “This is Chatman's breakout year. We are hoping to see him play some where next year. JMU, Temple, William & Mary are just a few of the schools that have shown interest this spring and summer. His destiny is in his own hands. If he has a great year, the team stands to follow his lead.”
A former teammate of Young states, “Chatman has proven himself to be a leader for four years, whether it be on the field or in the weight room.” It is his uncanny ability to command respect from all that has Young leading the Titans into a promising season.
