Haley Smilow is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Scottsdale Christian Academy for AZPreps365.com.

"The greatest sermon that I will ever preach is the life that I live," Eagles safety Brian Dawkins once said. Will Chambers, a 6-foot, 230-pound senior at Scottsdale Christian Academy, lives by these words from one of his favorite football players.

Growing up, Chambers first found a love for sports. "William was hitting a ball off the tee at 2 or 3," his dad, Randy Chambers, said. 

Chambers grew up in Delaware where he played little league baseball. He was encouraged to play the sport by his father, who is now a collegiate coach at Arizona Christian University. At 10, Chambers and his father's relationship strengthened through hardship.

 

Chambers during little league baseball / Randy Chambers

 "I asked William if he had fear, and he said, 'Yes, I don't want to let my team down,'" Randy Chambers said. "I got up the next morning, and I was convicted that I was putting pressure on him by the way I was coaching. I was too focused on performance. I called him into my office and tearfully apologized to him. I said, 'I am making a commitment today to never put pressure on you.'"

The family moved to Phoenix when Chambers was 12. "One of the last conformations we got was from William," Randy Chambers said. "He was reading his daily devotional, and there was a story about Abraham and Isaac surrendering everything. That moment really helped demolish any fear because he began to hear from God that our family was being called to come here."

Since moving to Arizona, Chambers has attended Scottsdale Christian Academy, where he has pursued baseball and football. Last season he started in right field for the Eagles and helped lead the team to a 2A state championship.

 

2A Arizona State Baseball Championship / Randy Chambers

"I intentionally wanted to play (football) because I wanted to play with my friends," Chambers said. "My eighth grade P.E. coach convinced me to play because of how fun he made the game and working out feel."

His freshman year was his first time playing football. Despite suffering multiple knee injuries, he fell in love with the game. "It takes a toll," Chambers said. "It even hindered me in baseball, which was frustrating, but I just tried to work past it because I knew my team needed me. I knew God had a plan, and that tomorrow was a new day."

In his sophomore year, Chambers bounced back and had one of the most exciting games of his high school career. Santa Cruise High had destroyed SCA the previous season in the playoffs, but in a hard-fought close game, the Eagles got revenge.

In his junior year, Chambers was named a captain. "I've always tried to lead with jumping into drills and picking up after practice," Chambers said. "I just try to put others before myself. I've tried to be more outspoken and exemplify our culture in my words and actions."

 

                                         Chambers standing over his teammates leading a prayer / Randy Chambers

Coach Nate Holtz has recognized Chambers' leadership change from last year to this current season. "He's more vocal and positively reinforces the core values of our program," Holtz said. He also has seen Chambers grow in practice and on the field. "He holds every strength record at our school," Holtz said.

In his four seasons at SCA, the greatest lesson Chambers has learned is to value practice performance over game performance. "At practice, the guys get mad at me for going too hard, but I try to make sure I am going 100 percent on every play," Chambers said.

Off the field, Chambers is just as focused on school, family and hobbies. His favorite school subject  is history. Chambers considers his time in the classroom a privilege. "The word student comes first, so I try to make school more of a priority than football," Chambers said. "If you don't do the hard work in the classroom, you can't have the benefit of playing football."

Chambers is the oldest of four kids. Over quarantine he has enjoyed growing closer to younger brothers Edward, Patrick and Andrew.

 

Chambers pictured with his family / Chamber's twitter

"They know that he cares," Randy Chambers said. "He leads by example in our house."

Chambers also enjoys playing Madden, going on hikes and working out. "When we were shut down, I took up hiking as a hobby," Chambers said. "I hiked Camelback a couple of times, and that was fun."

At the core of who he is, Chambers knows that God has a plan for him. Before every football game, Chambers writes a Bible verse and/or draws a cross on his tape.

 

Game used tape / Randy Chambers"We can put our trust in him and understand that he has a plan," Chambers said. "Control what you can control and worry about where you're at."

Chambers wants to pursue college football and is currently in the recruitment process. 

"We want to believe the best for him and dream big," Randy Chambers said. "At the end of the day, my wife and I both want what God wants for William. If God opens that door for him to play at the next level, we will be thankful for that."