Patrick Ewing is the starting outside linebacker of the junior varsity (JV) football team at Birmingham Community Charter High School (BCCHS). But that’s not all. He’s also a pianist, bass player and scholar.

And that diversity has impressed his coaches.

“Ewing is all around a great kid and player, there is no doubt that he has made a huge impact on our team,” said head football coach Jim Rose of BCCHS.

Ewing, a junior attending Daniel Pearl Magnet High School (DPMHS), played three seasons on JV, and he played on varsity during playoffs as a backup linebacker on the kickoff and kick-return team for all playoff games.

The 5-foot-9-inch linebacker has played football for seven years now and practices everyday to improve. Practice also includes training on his own time.

“It’s a passion,” Ewing said “My dad was my first major influence; he was always watching football, so I practically grew up with it.”

As an adolescent Ewing played in Pop Warner football for the Van Nuys Raiders. Although his father never played organized football, his parents were always and still are supportive of him.

“My idol is my uncle Joe. He was an All-Star football player, and he was great,” said Ewing on his supportive and impacting family.

Although Ewing is not offered the same opportunity of his team mates of having first period football at BCCHS, he manages to keep up with the different set plays given to him to memorize. However, Ewing would find it more convenient to his sport if he could find a way to incorporate a morning football class into his schedule that of course would not interfere with his academic classes.

“It’s hard going to practice after school knowing that everyone else got that extra period in the morning to workout , but my coaches really work with me, so that helps,”  Ewing said .

In addition to Ewing’s noteworthy athleticism, he keeps a grade point average high enough for him to be eligible to play sports. Ewing can also play the piano and is currently the bass player in a band.