By Derrick Smith

High school athletes can have numerous people that they look up to. For some, it may be a professional or college athlete, while others may see a family member as an example. Joseph Pham says that the biggest role model for him is one of the top professional basketball players.

“One person that I look up to the most is LeBron James,” Pham said. “He is such an amazing basketball player, father, husband, and he gives so much back to his community which inspires me to do the same.”

Joseph is a senior at Moore High School where he is a multisport athlete. He plays doubles on the tennis team, while as a member of the track team he runs the 4×100 and competes in the long jump. He also plays volleyball where he is an outside hitter.

While he has made some great memories during his career, Joseph says that his favorite memory was running to honor the memory of fallen teammates.

“Rachel, Yuridia, and Kolby were all tragically killed in a hit and run accident. They were my family and teammates and to be able to run a race in honor of them meant so much to me.”

Becoming the athlete that he is today has required a lot from Pham, but he says that he knows that it will be worth it when the work pays off.
“In order to get where I am today, I have had to set goals for myself,” he said. “I have also had to work extremely hard to accomplish those goals.”

As a student, Pham has learned a lot from numerous teachers. But out of all of them, he says that his favorite would have to be Jerry Dockery.

“He has taught me to be patient, relentless, and respectful. He always said to work hard, have fun, and finish strong.”

Along with sports, Joseph is also a member of Fuse, Moore Love, and the Cultural Exploration Club. He says that being involved in various clubs and activities can get overwhelming, but he also has his priorities set to help keep him in line. 

“I always put God first,” he said. “Then it is family, friends, school, and sports.”