JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Fletcher High School senior Merritt Reynolds has the intangibles of a great football player.
First, Merritt has a good head on his shoulders, sporting a 4.5 GPA and a scholarship to go to the prestigious University of Chicago.
He also has the leadership, serving as captain of the Senators.
Finally, he has the passion, being a part of the Fletcher football program since he was a child. Merritt's uncle and cousin were both head coaches of the Senators.
He credits his family, particularly his father, for helping him succeed not just on the field, but more importantly in the classroom.
[My father's] whole life, he's pushed us so hard to have the opportunities he never got to have," Reynolds said.
Reynolds' coach said his passion leadership has been an important part of the team's success.
"That kid cries after, like, every game in his senior because he knows he's one step away from it all ending," he said. "That kid just meant so much as a leader to the program."