On Wednesday, May 21, Clinton High School hosted a special signing ceremony for senior Brett Young, who officially committed to continuing both his academic and athletic career at Newberry College. The ceremony took place in the CHS gym at 1:45 p.m., with Young surrounded by family, coaches, teammates, and friends to celebrate this major milestone.
Young, a two-sport athlete, has excelled in both football and baseball throughout his high school career, though football has always been his true passion. “My love has always been for football, ever since I’ve been able to play,” Young shared. “It’s just been special to me. Don’t get me wrong, I love baseball too, but the feeling and the rush I get from football—it’s just not the same.”
In his speech, Young expressed deep gratitude toward everyone who helped him along the way. “First and foremost, I want to thank God—without Him I wouldn’t be in this position,” he said. “I want to thank my family—they’ve been there for me my whole life. I want to thank my coaches—for giving me the opportunity to play the game I love. I want to thank my teammates—they’ve had the most impact on me… and I want to thank anyone who has had an impact on me, for better or worse.”
Despite being undersized by traditional football standards, Young has never let his stature limit his drive or performance. “I’ve been undersized my whole life,” he said. “I’ve known that I had to work three times harder than everyone else because nothing will be given. Whenever I feel like giving up, I just know that I still have people to prove wrong, and I still have people that will doubt me because of my size.”
Clinton’s Head Football Coach, Corey Fountain, praised Young for his leadership and tenacity. “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog, and Brett has that dog in him,” Fountain said. “He’s been one of our team captains and leaders throughout the year. We can always count on him to represent our school and our team the right way.”
Among the proudest in the room was Young’s mother, who shared an emotional reflection on her son’s achievements. “I feel great. I’m super excited for him,” she said. “I’ve always thought Newberry would be good for him, so I am ready to see him play ball at the next level.”
Looking ahead, Young will join the Newberry College Wolves, where he plans to major in Exercise Science while continuing his football journey. With his character, work ethic, and love for the game, Brett Young is ready to take the next step, both on the field and in the classroom, as he leaves Clinton High School behind and embarks on a new chapter in his life.