Chaz Brown signs on with Case Western Reserve University

For the second time this year, players, coaches and family members gathered inside the Kennett High School library to honor another football player who will soon move on to the next level.

Tuesday morning, Chaz Brown made it official by signing on to play football at Case Western Reserve University.

CWRU is a private research university based in Cleveland, Ohio. It's one that appears to be a perfect fit for the caliber of student athlete that Brown has become.

"It's feeling pretty awesome," Brown said after the signing ceremony. "I always wanted to try, and with coach Pixley and all of the other coaches working together, I was able to do that. It helped me lead me to the path where I'm going, to play college football."

Both Kennett's head coach Aaron Pixley and assistant coach Arlen Pixley were eager to sing Brown's praises. Each of them, without hesitation, called Brown one of the most improved players they've ever coached.

"He's a product of the weight room," Aaron said inside the library as Brown and his teammates enjoyed a cake made for the occasion. "He's a product of just hard work. Anything we've ever asked him to do, he's done it a hundred miles an hour. That's why he's getting to do what he's doing."

"The thing with Chaz that people really need to understand is, he's the most improved player that I've coached against and that I have coached personally in my career," Arlen Pixley said moments later.

Arlen got a good look at Brown from two sides of the field. First as head coach for New Madrid County Cental, and then last season, after he signed on to coach alongside his brother, Aaron, in Kennett.

"The most improved player I've seen from the little league to the pros," Arlen added. "It's amazing the turnaround he's had physically, mentally, and as a player. It's unbelievable."

"His tape speaks for itself," he continued. "He was out there throttling people this year as compared to a year ago where he kind of struggled. A lot of guys wouldn't come back after that, but he bounced back and he didn't quit.

"His accolades speak for itself. He's just now scratching the surface for his future. He's got an opportunity to go to a tremendous college to further his education, and having the opportunity to play football is always a privilege. He understands that."

Both coaches credit Brown's effort and work ethic in all aspects of his life for leading him to where he is today.

"Even his junior year, he was really in the process of beginning to become, a guess you can say, a whole athlete," Aaron added. "That's in the weight room and outside the weight room. Once he got a year into it, he was a different person.

"Now, two years later, he's a very strong, very physical football player. And really, the most impressive thing about him is; one, he's a great person. Two, he's great in the classroom. He takes his schoolwork very, very seriously."

In the past season, Brown fought his way to the Class 3 Offensive Second Team in the Southeast Missouri Area Football Coaches Association all-region team. He also earned his spot in the SEMO Central All-Conference Team.

Brown's accolades come after Kennett's best football season in years. He expressed his gratitude being apart of the Indians' journey to the district final.

"I feel like our offensive line is probably one of the best parts of our team. Saying that is pretty biased, but all of us are pretty good friends on the line," Brown said with a big smile. "And the whole team in general. That's one of the biggest places we've grown. That helped lead on to winning those extra games and making it down to the district championship. So that was pretty fun.

"I wasn't the only one lifting weights the whole year. Everyone else was, and that helped lead the team on to success."

Along with being a leader in the classroom, Brown also just recently performed Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C# Minor at the Junior Music Festival in Kennett. He had been honing his piano skills for the past 12 years, culminating in a special recognition from the National Federation of Music clubs. Being such a hard worker in so many aspects of his life has prepared him for his next challenge at the collegiate level.

"It's definitely going to be a challenge. Everyone's going to be good. You're talking about studies or playing college football," Brown said. "You've just got to bust it in the weight room and the books. That'll be a hard challenge, but it will be worth it in the long run."

Both of Brown's coaches left the ceremony feeling very optimistic of his future, both on the football and beyond.

"I have no worries. Whatever he chooses to do at college, he's going to do it at a high level," Aaron Pixley said. "That's academic and athletic. It's just because you're not going to outwork him. He's very intelligent, but the most important thing about that is he'll outwork you at the same time. That's a deadly combination. He's going to do very well in life.