Westminster Christian’s Fernandez is the Dade Boys’ Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Senior Daniel Fernandez never shied away from a challenge during his high school career.
It didn’t matter if it was on the football field, lacrosse field, basketball court or in the shot put in track, Fernandez was ready for success.
Fernandez was no different in the classroom where his grades made him one of the top students in his senior class at Westminster Christian.
“I’m grateful to my parents because since I was little they’ve been pushing me to be the best I can be,” Fernandez said. “I always thought it was a lot (playing different sports and keeping my grades up) because it’s a big load to take on. But as I got closer to the end of my high school career, I knew it was possible to achieve in both academics and athletics and balance everything. I’m glad I didn’t let their sacrifices go to waste. It all paid off in the end.”
It did for Fernandez, who is headed to Davidson College to continue his football career and pursue a business degree.
“When I decided I wanted to take football to the next level,” Fernandez said. “At first my choices were some of the Ivy League schools. When they came around, it was an incredible opportunity and I committed in December.”
Fernandez is also the Miami Herald’s Miami-Dade County Boys’ Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Fernandez, a 6-1, 210-pound defensive end/outside linebacker, led the Warriors’ football team to an 8-2 record this past season and the playoffs. He totaled 69 tackles, including 29 for loss, and recorded 12 sacks. He also forced four fumbles, including one he recovered and returned for a touchdown.
But during his career, Fernandez rarely stopped.
Fernandez also played basketball where he was a guard on that team from his freshman to junior seasons, helping those squads to winning seasons.
Fernandez also excelled in track and field where he threw both the shot put and javelin. This past month, Fernandez was a district runner-up in the shot put.
And this spring, he joined Westminster’s lacrosse team where he excelled as a defender for a district championship team.
Fernandez did all of this while maintaining a 5.15 weighted grade point average, and scored a 32 on the ACT. He is an Emerald Scholar, President of the National Honor Society and Vice President of Business National Honor Society.
Football is the sport Fernandez will play at the next level and the one he fell in love with once he realized his potential.
“Once I knew I had more of an opportunity to do something in the sport, I started living and breathing the sport and really committing myself to it,” Fernandez said.
