Ethan Kinney is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Veritas Prep High School for AZPreps365.com.

PHOENIX - When Veritas Preps star cornerback and wide receiver Baylor Arnold steps onto the field, he brings with him nearly a decade of memories — from his first time playing flag football, to captaining his team's undefeated senior season. 

When Arnold started playing football, it was never about scholarships, accolades or NFL dreams at first. Instead it was about a chance to play ball with some of his best friends and a coach that believed in him. 

“Honestly, it was coach Mike Sanfratello,” Arnold said. “He started a flag football team with me and my best friends, He coached that team until we were 15, and once we switched to tackle, he continued to coach us, he was definitely the one that started my drive for it.” 

That initial game was the first step in what would become a great passion. To this day, Arnold still reminds himself of a message his dad told him before his first game.

“My dad came up to me and asked if I had butterflies,  I told him that I was nervous and he said, ‘Good. If you don’t have butterflies, that means you’re not ready.’” Arnold said. “I’ve always held onto that.”

Throughout his journey, Arnold has used the football field to become a better leader and person, and as a chance to really dig deep at some of life's biggest lessons. 

“Being a captain has taught me so much,” he said. “Coach Mike brought all the captains together before the season and gave us objects that represented our leadership styles. I got a stethoscope which meant that  I’m a leader who leads by example, but I need to go deeper with my teammates, to really understand them.”

Veritas head coach Mike Sanfratello said he appreciates what Arnold does on the field, but couldn’t say enough about who he is off of it. 

“On both sides of the football, Baylor is our impact player,” Sanfratello said. “But more importantly, off the field, he’s the exact person you want to coach.” 

This leadership comes as no surprise, as he’s always one of the first to run to his teammates after a big play and celebrate their success. Arnold's mom, Coley Arnold said that her proudest moments were never the touchdowns or big plays that he scored. 

“I love seeing him celebrate with his teammates, especially the younger boys who don’t get as much playtime,” she said. “Watching Baylor hype them up when they’re on the field, that’s my favorite thing.”

However, despite all of the highs, Arnold's journey in football hasn’t always been without doubts. Before his senior season, he briefly considered stepping away from the game. 

“I told my parents I didn’t think I was good enough to play at the next level,” Arnold said. “I hadn’t gotten a lot of attention from the coaches and thought it was too late. But my parents sat me down and said, ‘Let’s at least give it a try.’ That little bit of encouragement was all I needed.”

Fast forward to today, and Arnold is enjoying the college recruiting process, holding multiple offers and generating lots of interest from different schools. 

“It’s been super fun,” Arnold said. “The coaches have really invested in me, and I’m grateful for that.”