Colt Almodova is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Arcadia High School for AZPreps365.com

An Arcadia High School student-athlete is going all in his senior year to catch the eyes of recruiters, despite the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On a fall morning at 4:30 a.m., 17-year-old Crew Edwards kicks off his day, a day that will be filled with dedication to the grind on the gridiron and in the classroom.

At 5:15 a.m. Edwards starts his two-hour football practice before going to a full cycle of classes that begin at 7:45 a.m. When he finishes school, he makes sure to stop at Chick-fil-A before tackling a late afternoon’s work of homework and college applications.

Arcadia Titans baseball and football star Crew Edwards (Crew Edwards photo/Arcadia)

The biggest transition in Edwards’ life so far is less than a year away – going off to college. With a little over a semester left in his high school career, Edwards is contemplating his future, whether he’ll play baseball, football, or strictly focus on school at the next level.

“If I had to pick between baseball and football, definitely baseball,” Edwards said. “Baseball is a priority for me.”

In Edwards’ last full season on the diamond during his sophomore year, he compiled a .290 batting average to go along with 20 hits, 12 RBIs, and eight stolen bases.

Before the pandemic, this decision for Edwards was a lot easier with a “handful of schools” reaching out to recruit him for baseball. However, “the recruiting has slowed down since the pandemic because these schools can’t watch [him] play,” Edwards said.

“We’ve sort of had to pivot in terms of what the future looks like pretty quickly,” Edwards’ mother Kendall said.

Edwards said that during his recruitment he has drawn interest from the University of Nevada, Reno for baseball and has also received a preferred walk-on offer at Wake Forest University for football.

“Coaches that are going to get him, whether its football or baseball know that they are going to have a coachable kid who’s humble, respectful, and appreciates the game,” Arcadia football coach Vance Miller said.

In his junior season as wide receiver, Edwards tallied 26 receptions for 542 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. Through the first two games of this season, Edwards has hauled in six receptions for 50 yards and a TD, in addition to seven rushes for 60 yards.

“He works hard, he doesn’t take plays off, and it translates,” Miller said.

As a multisport athlete, Edwards’ quickness is a key component of what allows him to excel as a centerfielder and as a wide receiver.

“Tracking down the ball in centerfield is the same as tracking the ball down in football, it just goes hand in hand,” Edwards said. “I think it’s a good combination that put itself together.”

Edwards’ success goes far beyond sports, as his excellence in the classroom has earned him a 4.0 GPA.

“Always in our house, we say school comes first,” his mother said. “Without good grades, you’re not playing the other sports.”

In college, Edwards is looking to major in business, following in the footsteps of his two older brothers who are also studying business at the University of Arizona and Indiana University.

Much of Edwards’ influence comes from his close relationship to his family. Edwards’ father has been his biggest mentor in sports, as his father has been coaching him in baseball since he was five years old. Edwards’ mother has been his biggest motivator and supporter off the field, “pushing academics way more than sports.”

However, when it comes to Edwards’ skills in sports, the edge goes to his mother’s side of the family. His mother, Kendall, was a cheerleader at the University of Colorado Boulder, and his grandfather played college basketball at CU Boulder as well.

“Sorry dad, but definitely my mom [has the edge],” Edwards said.

Respect is the quality that defines Edwards. On the field and in the locker room, he strives to earn the respect of his teammates that he’ll “know for the rest of [his] life.” In the classroom, he is determined to earn the respect for his commitment and sacrifice to his schoolwork.

“My dream is to have people respect who I am no matter what I do in the future, and have people respect how hard I’ve worked to get here, whether that’s sports or in my career,” Edwards said.

With college on the horizon, Edwards said that he is going to make whichever team he plays for next fall “better in every way.”

“I’m going to work as hard as I can,” Edwards said. “I’m going to work harder than the person next to me. I’m going to make everyone else work as hard as me, so my work ethic will just translate over and hopefully they’ll see that.”

Up next for Edwards and the Titans football team is their road game this Friday, Oct. 23, against Cactus Shadows at 7:00 p.m.