To start off the semester, the Athlete of the Week in this issue of The Stylus is Park University’s Joshua Lewis. Lewis is a 5thyear senior at Park. He graduated last spring earning his degree in Business Marketing. Lewis was born in North Dallas, Texas, where he went to school until the 4th grade. He then moved to Garland, Texas, where he spent the rest of his life until he left for college.

The six-foot senior played more than just basketball in his early years.

“I ran track and played football all my years in middle and high school, but I didn’t run track my senior year,” he said.

In track he ran the open 100, open 200, and the 4×2. He attended Webb Middle School and Naaman Forest High School. In football, Lewis started both sides of the field as a wide receiver on offense and defensive back on defense.

“My specialty was the return man when the other team kicks the ball off,” Lewis said.

Lewis received Division 1 offers for football from the University of Mississippi, University of Texas El Paso and Western Kentucky University.

“I passed them up because I felt I could play Division 1 basketball and I love basketball more,” he said.

Coming out of high school, Lewis got a scholarship to play basketball at Ranger College, a junior college in Ranger, Texas. He then transferred to Collin County Community College and earned his associates degree.

Lewis then got connected with Park University’s head coach Jason Kline.

“My brother Craig Lewis and a former basketball player of Park, Anteco Cross, talked to Coach Kline about me then coach called me to set up arrangement for a tryout,” he said.

According to Lewis, there is more to sports than being athletic – you must be strong in academics.

“My brother Craig inspires me because everything he’s done and doing I want to do from playing ball on a collegiate level, graduating, traveling, being a family guy and owning his own business,” he said.

Lewis said he plans to work for his brother’s business once this academic year is over and he moves back to Dallas.