Luke Pirris has added to his senior year by being named Ponte Vedra High’s October Scholar Athlete of the Month.
“It’s a huge honor, especially at PV, where there are so many smart kids,” Pirris said. “It really pushes you to grow in the classroom.”
Pirris plays football and basketball and has a 4.22 weighted GPA.
He has committed to play football on scholarship at the United States Naval Academy.
The Naval Academy is known for being a prestigious academic institution, which is something Pirris is looking forward to experiencing firsthand.
“It’s obviously a lot different at Navy since there is the military aspect to it, so there’s a lot more to think about compared to other schools, but I’m excited for everything that will come from it,” Pirris said. “I believe it will really set me up for the future.”
Pirris was told of his accomplishment by head football coach Steve Price during a practice, when Price congratulated him and Nate Bunkosky who was the athlete of the week.
“I’m glad that both Nate and I were able to get something together, since we both had a pretty good against Bartram (Trail),” Pirris said.
Although Pirris has always strived to do well in the classroom as well as on the field, he has earned many more trophies over the years for his athletic prowess, so to receive an award that ties in both is something very special to him.
“I’ve always excelled in the classroom and taken education very seriously,” Pirris said. “It’s more important than football to be honest, and it is the reason I’m able to go to Navy.”
Pirris’ strong suits are math and science. This year he is taking AP Calculus, as well as anatomy and physiology.
Although he’s not sure what his future holds, he thinks he may be interested in possibly pursuing a career in the medical field.
“It’s (math and science) has always just clicked for me,” Pirris said. “I never really liked writing essays or anything like that.”
Pirris is a member of the National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society.
There’s no doubt that his schedule, especially during the fall and winter months keeps him busy at almost all times.
“Playing football and then going straight into basketball season after that, there’s just no break where I can focus strictly on school,” Pirris said. “I always have to be on top of my work and never get behind, which will serve me well in the long run.”
He has enjoyed his senior year up to this point and is looking forward to even bigger things in the months to come.
Not only has Pirris been the key cog he was expected to be on defense for the Sharks football team heading into the year, but he has also developed into an asset in the receiving game on offense.
“I worked at tight end some during the summer, and then some injuries occurred, and I have stepped into the role of wide receiver,” Pirris said. “I just want to win ballgames, and I’m willing to do whatever the team needs.”
