Sebastian Sanchez is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Shadow Mountain High School for AZPrep365.com.

Deion Sanders and Bo Jackson exemplify the quintessential multi-sport athletes. Their exceptional careers and versatility on the football field and baseball diamond have cemented their legacies as two of the most celebrated and admired athletes.

Kasen Williams, a sophomore athlete at Shadow Mountain, aspires to follow in their footsteps.

“I’ve always been non-stop,” Williams said. “There’s never been like a chill time for me.”

Yet, despite the constant movement and hard work, he sees the benefits of keeping his schedule packed.

“I feel like it’s good for me to have the time to keep going and to (do) stuff throughout the day,” Williams said.

The varsity quarterback, Williams had an impressive season, passing for over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns in his second year playing football. “He can make a lot of throws that most kids can't make,” Shadow Mountain football coach Ron Fagan said.

During his freshman campaign, Williams' primary position was linebacker. “He’s a quarterback and linebacker, he’s not afraid of contact,” Fagan said.

The quarterback holds the utmost importance on the field. However, learning the position can be challenging. “Sometimes they’re open, even when they don’t look open,” Fagan said. One of the most complicated concepts in sports is dissecting coverage and anticipating where a receiver should be.

Kasen Williams on the football field (Photo from Kasen Williams)

Several skill sets are similar between baseball and football: hand-eye coordination, arm strength, focus, toughness and strategy. So whether it’s throwing a runner out or a touchdown, Williams remains determined to work on his craft.

He aims to improve his decision-making skills in football. “I don’t have a lot of time to decide, but definitely need to improve in that aspect of the game,” Williams said. As for baseball, his focus is on the mental approach. “If I get out or make an error, I’ve got to have short-term memory.”

“He’s a good kid man, and he reminds you of just an old-school football player,” Fagan said. “The kind of guy who plays all sports and wants to be good.”

Aside from his on-field pursuits, Williams has a solid support system off the field. He attributes his athletic success to his mother. “She's always been there for me,” Williams said. “I could hit three home runs, and I’ll come home and she’ll ask me, 'Why did you play like that?'”

“There are times when it gets a little much,” Williams said. “It’s what I signed up for, so I can’t complain about it.”

Kasen Williams (Photo by Anjeanette Photography)

According to USA Today, 71% of Div. I football players were multi-sport athletes in high school. Deion Sanders played football, baseball and basketball. Bo Jackson played football, baseball and track and field.

“I definitely believe that there is an advantage to playing multiple sports,” Shadow Mountain baseball head coach Troy Farnsworth said. “There’s no denying that the kids that play baseball year-round have an advantage, but I just think it’s a good thing for the kids.”

“We push our players to play other sports,” Fagan said. “We understand they’re playing other sports, so we just try to catch them up. We do a lot of film and we do a lot of chalk talk.”

His message to other multi-sport student-athletes: “Just keep going.”