DENTON, Texas, Jan. 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/

In its 38th year of honoring the nation's most elite high school athletes, Gatorade today announced Jackson Arnold of John H. Guyer High School in Denton, Texas is the 2022-23 Gatorade National Football Player of the Year. Arnold won the prestigious award for his accomplishments on and off the field, joining an impressive group of former Gatorade National Football Players of the Year who have combined for more than six NFL MVPs awards, 31 Pro Bowl appearances, six NFL first round draft picks and two became Hall of Famers.

Eleven-time NFL Pro-Bowler and former Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten surprised Arnold with the news, while his family, coaches and teammates showed up with the trophy at school.

The Gatorade Player of the Year award recognizes athletes not just for their excellence on the playing surface, but for their commitment in the classroom and impact in their community. Arnold was selected from more than one million other student athletes who play high school football nationwide, topping the list of state winners in football who collectively boast an incredible list of accomplishments, including 27 with signed National Letters of Intent to play football at Division I colleges/universities and 32 with a GPA of 3.5 and above. 

Arnold has served as a classroom aide to a math teacher as a senior, and for the past three and a half years, he has been a member and officer in the Young Men's Service League, Lantana Chapter, which offers opportunities for mothers and sons to perform community service and philanthropic work; he has served as the group's Vice President, Slating Chair and as a member of its Life Skills committee.

Arnold has maintained a 4.5 weighted GPA in the classroom. Taking advantage of NCAA early signing rules, Arnold inked a financial-aid agreement that paved the way for him to enroll at the University of Oklahoma, where he will play football. He graduated from high school in December and will attend classes in the spring semester.

In addition to excellence on and off the field of play, Gatorade Players of the Year also pay it forward for the next generation. As part of Gatorade's Play it Forward initiative, Arnold will receive a grant to give to one of Gatorade's social impact partners – Athlete Ally, Laureus USA, Move United, Women's Sports Foundation and Up2Us Sports – supporting Gatorade's ambition to fuel the future of sport. 

"Winning Gatorade Player of the Year is an enormous accomplishment, as it's reserved for the best and brightest high school student-athletes," said Michael Del Pozzo, president and general manager of Gatorade. "Jackson Arnold is a role model for future generations of student-athletes on how to be an all-around leader in sport, in the classroom and in the community."

Serving Together

Sharing time with our son(s) while serving those in need in the community is priceless time spent together.

Learning Through Experience

Participating in service projects and our young men’s meetings offers a wealth of knowledge, experience and leadership development.

Leadership opportunities

YMSL offers leadership opportunities for both mothers and sons through chapter jobs, teamwork, and community impact.

About YMSL

The Young Men’s Service League is a 501(c)(3) non-profit national organization. Members of YMSL are moms and their teenage sons who volunteer together to serve their local communities during his four years of high school. YMSL currently represents over 12,500 moms and 13,000 young men as part of over 130 chapters across 17 states. YMSL offers moms service opportunities and time together with her son(s) to grow their relationship and to instill in him a heart of service to last a lifetime. In addition to service, as part of its four-year comprehensive program, YMSL teaches leadership and life skills to develop our young men to become the capable, confident and compassionate leaders of tomorrow.

Mission

To assist, serve, and support those who are in need in our community, develop leadership skills among our membership and promote mother-son relationships.