Thomas Cogdell is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Chandler Preparatory Academy for AZpreps365.com

Junior running back AJ Robinson has spearheaded Chandler Prep's run game all season. This, paired with the ability to lead and accelerate through gaps, has propelled the Titans to a 5-4 record heading into their final regular-season game. 

The team's second-leading scorer, Robinson has rushed for 852 yards, averaging 100.7 per game, which could be more significant if it weren't for a string of injuries.    

"He is absolutely a shot of adrenaline for our team," head coach Frank Peake said. "He's a go-getter and an absolutely amazing athlete with tremendous speed."

While many may look at these numbers and expect letters as well as scholarship offers from college football programs, playing at a higher level is not his main focus. 

"I want to do D-I track," Robinson said. "I really like track, but my goals after football are, of course, Div. I track, but I actually want to find something I'm passionate about. Like I don't know what I'm really passionate about right now."

While Robinson tries to find his passion, others are trying to find a way to tackle him, and to a spectator, it may look like Robinson has played football his whole life. His ability to break tackles and accelerate in seconds portrays it as such, but this couldn't be farther from the truth.  

Growing up, Robinson first laced his cleats for a different kind of football as his first sport was soccer, but with supportive football father, Patrick Robinson, a coach at Chandler Prep, AJ was destined to find his way onto the football field.    

This father-son and coach-player relationship is common at Chandler Prep with Creon Fulgham's father also assisting the coaching staff, but while AJ's bond between him and football might not be strong, he feels it has definitely impacted his relationship with his father. 

"He's been coaching me since I was 5,'' he said. "So it not only helped me grow in football, but it really like brought us closer together because, you know, we are father and son, and he's also coaching me through football, so he can not only talk to me on the field, but he can also talk to me at home."

When asked which sport he thinks his son loves more, football or track, Patrick Robinson responded, "Track," without hesitation.  

As a coach, his love for football is shown through his dedication and effort put forth to make the team better but Patrick Robinson says he will "support him [AJ] whatever his passion is" and is confident he can do "whatever he puts his mind to."

Just as AJ's love of track is shown off the field, it shines on it, and there is no doubt that his speed is universal whether on pavement or turf.    

[It helps with] "speed, of course," AJ said. "[Track is] honestly not a team sport to me. It's more of a personal sport because you're focusing on yourself and trying to build better times for PR. So I guess for football, I'm making sure that I'm putting my hard work in that way, I can get better. That way, it helps our team out."   

Although AJ's football career may end on graduation day, his search for his passion will not, and time will tell whether his dreams of running Div. I track will turn into reality.