There's more to life than sports - Timpview's Chow proves point

It isn't enough that Cameron Chow is No. 1 in his class, that he's never gotten anything but an A in his life, that he's co-captain of the football team and starts on the basketball team, that he's an Eagle Scout, that he dreams of an Ivy League education, sings in the choir, serves as student body vice president, participates in National Honor Society activities, plays piano in his seminary class, strives to be a role model and a leader, adores his family and is the nicest, most well-rounded kid you'll ever meet, unless you've met his siblings, too. . . .

. . . And after all that there is still this business with the dog. Atthe end of the interview, after the newspaper man has finished with his questions and is packing his notebook, he asks, as an afterthought, if there is anything he missed. "Um, well, I work with my dog. He's a therapeutic dog, and we visit people in care centers." Out the notebook comes. There is more.

Just one question: Is this kid for real?

Chow is a poster boy for the student-athlete-son-brother-teammate-citizen. The worst thing he does is forget to put the milk back in the fridge.

He starts at free safety on the Timpview football team, which will play in the second round of the state playoffs on Saturday, but being strictly an athlete, even a successful one, was never enough for him. Never mind that his father, Norm, is the quarterback coach/offensive coordinator at BYU.

Norm actually discouraged his three sons from playing football. Carter, the oldest, played tennis instead. Chandler, the youngest, plays basketball and golf. "If it were up to my dad we would have all played baseball," says Cameron, who was the only one to pursue football against his parents' initial objections. His parents worried that football would affect his grades. He promised to do well in both.

He kept his promise. He is No. 1 in a senior class of 490 students at Timpview, with a 4.0 grade point average. He also leads the football team in interceptions and was named to the academic all-state team.

"I don't like the stigma of just being a jock," he says. "I want to do well in school and in other things. High school sports will last only so long. The other things will help you more with the rest of your life."

Chow grew up in a close family that emphasized academics, music, religion and sports. The Chow children study the piano from the age of eight until 16, give their best effort in school, treat everybody like a favorite house guest and go to church on Sunday.