Chaparral football standout earns boost for college

Chaparral High School senior David Johnson is awarded a $2,500 college scholarship from the Stallworth Strong Foundation, the brainchild of former UNLV quarterback Steve Stallworth (pictured at left). Photo by: Courtesy photo

Editor's note: Este artículo está traducido al español.

David Johnson was one of the top players last fall on the Chaparral High School football team because of his versatility.

At 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, Johnson was a two-way starter for the Cowboys, at defensive end and tight end.

But injuries hit the team leaving too few offensive lineman. Johnson raised his hand and volunteered for another position.

“(He’s) just a hard worker,” coach Thomas Hess said. “He has the size. He has the ability. But it’s the work ethic that sets him apart.”

That desire is something Steve Stallworth couldn’t help noticing.

Stallworth, the former UNLV quarterback and now general manager at South Point Arena, read an essay from Johnson seeking a scholarship from the family’s Stallworth Strong Foundation and was blown away by the teen’s drive to achieve. The foundation selected Johnson over eight others for its first $2,500 college scholarship.

The Stallworth family surprised Johnson this week with the check. He couldn’t help but get emotional.

“I am thankful for this,” he said of the scholarship. “It shows the hard work is paying off.”

Johnson’s collegiate journey will start in the fall at Fullerton College, a junior college in Southern California. While the football program will help with some of Johnson’s college expenses, lower-level programs don’t cover the entire cost.

For many athletes, that means the dream of competing at the next level ends. That’s where the foundation’s scholarship comes into play.

Stetson Stallworth, Steve’s son, played collegiately at Division II Adams State before finishing at Division III Cal Lutheran. If the family didn’t have the resources to send their son to college, he would have never got to play collegiately.

Steve Stallworth said the idea of launching the foundation that awards scholarships had been brewing for a couple of years. Stetson’s experience certainly got the wheels in motion.

“We aren’t trying to save the world. We are just trying to help a couple of kids,” Steve Stallworth said.

The foundation will award another $2,500 for a student who is attending college and working for a football program, whether it’s as a student manager, an athletic trainer or in the equipment department.

He shared stories with Johnson this week when presenting the scholarship, recalling how he quickly discovered Chaparral after moving from Yuma, Ariz., to play for UNLV in the 1980s.

Then-UNLV coach Harvey Hyde had his players referee summer passing tournaments, and Stallworth was assigned to go work for then-coach Bobby Johnson at Chaparral. Returning to the east Las Vegas campus brought back fond memories of Steve Stallworth’s collegiate days.

He’s hopeful Johnson has the same experience.

“We are so proud of you, man,” he told Johnson while the two embraced. “We are excited for your future. We are going to follow you and stay in contact with you.”

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