It is that time of year again when Sports Illustrated Kid names their SI Kids SportsKid of the Year. This year, Maxwell “Bunchie” Young has been awarded the distinction.
Not only does the California-native play football but he also runs track.
And at ten-years-old has been offered a full scholarship to the University of Illinois. You read it right, he is only 10-years-old!
Having gotten his start at the age of 4 in sports, Bunchie has managed to become a force to reckon with on the field. When he’s not playing football or running track, his family and friends recognize him as a well-grounded young man that is very active in church and his community.
As a result of his new-found success, Bunchie has gained internet fame with a fandom of over 16K followers on Instagram. When it was reported that Bunchie had received the scholarship offer from the University of Illinois, not everyone has been elated to celebrate the young rising athlete. from Kipp Scholar Academy. “It was a lot of pressure and a lot of hatred,” he said in an interview with Essence Magazine. “But I don’t worry about that, I just go out and have a good game the next time.”
Being named the SI Kids SportsKid of the Year. for Bunchie “…was truly a blessing. I was really happy. My dad, he was really happy. My mom – they was all happy. It was just like – a big celebration.”
Of course, like a true honorable young future star, Bunchie gives credit to his team as a whole. “One lesson I learned is that you can never do nothing without a team, It’s always a team effort. You can’t just think of it as one man on one team. It takes a whole team to win a game.”
This is definitely one young person who’s star has just begun to rise and will definitely stay in the sky for years to come. Congratulations, Bunchie! To read the Sports Illustrated Kid story on Bunchie, click here.
