Arlington ISD honored 93 student‑athletes during its districtwide Signing Day ceremony today.
The event celebrated seniors from six high schools who have committed to continue their academic and athletic careers at the collegiate level next year. These students earned more than $8.9 million in scholarships from 58 colleges and universities.
Student-athletes were awarded scholarships in 15 different sports, including football, basketball, volleyball, baseball, soccer, golf, cross country, track, softball, swim, flag football, cheer, and wrestling.
“I’m proud of all the schools in Arlington ISD,” said Dashuan Marable, a football player at Seguin High School heading to West Texas A&M University. “It really made me happy to see a lot of people grow up, and now we are achieving something better, so it’s really a good feeling.”
Families, coaches, teammates, and district leaders filled the Arlington ISD Athletics Center as each student walked the stage to be recognized for their achievement.
“I’m really excited for the future, and I’m really thankful for my coaches preparing me for that next level,” said Brandon Heath, a football player from Martin High School heading to College of the Holy Cross. “From the get-go, they’ve trained us like we’ve been college athletes, so that when we go to play at the next level, we’re already ready.”
The ceremony highlighted not only athletic excellence but also the discipline, academic commitment, and resilience required to reach the collegiate level. For many students, this achievement is the result of more than a decade of dedication.
“I’ve been working for this moment since I was five years old,” said Jayden Bibbs, a football player from Bowie High School heading to Oklahoma Baptist University. “I grew up dreaming about this. My coach and my family, they always had trust in me, and I always had trust in them.”
Many student‑athletes said the moment felt surreal, marking the payoff of years of early‑morning practices, late‑night homework, and unwavering support from their families and coaches.
“I’ve played volleyball since I was in third grade, and my family has never missed a game of mine, so them coming to every game really supports me and just pushes me to be better,” said Kalysa Humbles, a volleyball player from Arlington High School who will play at Weatherford College next year.
Students shared their best piece of advice for student-athletes.
“You don’t have to keep the same sport just because you feel like that’s what you are meant to do,” said Lydia Nichols, a cheer and tumbling athlete from Lamar High School heading to cheer at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. “I’ve done a lot of sports. I’ve done gymnastics, I’ve done weightlifting, track, and everything. Just have fun and do what you want to do.”
That’s what Retta Hall did. The flag football and soccer player from Sam Houston High School will keep playing both sports next year at Texas Wesleyan University.
“Don’t let anything deter you: games, practices – everyone has bad practices, it took me a while to learn that,” Hall said. “Keep pushing through, and you’ll eventually get to where you want to be.”
Congratulations athletes!