By Dave Caldwell, Desiree Ramos

This week’s SCVTV and Wendy’s of Santa Clarita Student Athlete of the Week is Davis Koppenhaver of Hart Football. Davis has a 4.2 GPA and scored 1840 on the SAT and 29 on the ACT. Early on his parents instilled in him the need to focus on his school work.

“During elementary school I used to play two sports during most season so my parents would make me do homework right when I got home,” Davis said. “I usually had two practices everyday so I didn’t have much time or I would be too tired. So they had me do it right before (practice).”

When it comes to college, Davis has already made up his mind. He has accepted a scholarship to play football at Duke.

“I just love the campus, love the academics and the way the football program is going,” he said. “Just recently a report came out that (Duke is) the seventh best school in the country. You can’t really beat that.

“You come out with this really great alumni base and a great degree,” said the 6-foot-5 inch receiver. “Everyone respects a Duke degree. So come out with that and you can get pretty much get any job in your field you want.”

Davis had fibroblastic sarcoma, a cancer that blocked 90 percent of his airway, when he was just 11. To see what he has accomplished both in the classroom and on the field is truly inspirational. Not surprisingly he wants to become a sports medicine doctor.

“It’s always been an interest,” Davis said. “I always wanted to stay involved in sports so I thought that was a great mix of the two.

“I’m always interested in athletic training, the perfect weight lifting program or perfect nutrition just to build the best athlete for a program,” he continued. “That’s always been a dream of mine.”

Given all he has overcome and all he has accomplished, the football star who is also a three-year varsity basketball player has a few words to tell young students.

“I’ve known a lot of kids who haven’t taken it as seriously their first two years. Now they are getting it together but they really regret it. I just say, work as hard as you can because you don’t want to have any doors shut on you.”

Congratulations to Davis Koppenhaver of Hart High School, the SCVTV and Wendy’s of Santa Clarita Student Athlete of the Week.