This week’s SCVTV/AMG & Associates Student-Athlete of the Week is Denley Rodriguez of Saugus.  Denley has a 3.44 cumulative GPA as a junior.  His focus is what lays ahead in life, and he knows the foundation starts now.

“It sets up the rest of your future, where you’re going to go to college and your job” Denley said.  “If you have a family (it sets up) how you are going to take care of your family.”

Denley’s older brother is former Saugus quarterback Desi Rodriguez, who is now at the Air Force Academy.  Denley follows his brothers advice and assurance.

“I have my brother at the academy so he really pushes me to get good classes and to get ready for college and life,” he said.  “Both of my parents and my brother (are helping me), but mostly my parents.  He calls me every night and we talk on the phone about how your day went and school and football and stuff like that.  So, it’s a good relationship.”

And when asked who is more important to impress, his brother or his parents, Denley said:

“It’s a difficult question,” Denley said.  “I’ve always thought of my brother, like, more of a role model than my parents, but my parents have always been there for me.  So it’s kind of like both.”

When it comes to college:

“I really want to go to Cal-Berkeley, or of course the (Air Force) Academy” Denley said.  “But any PAC-12 school I would like to attend.”

But deep at heart Denley is a football player, and if an opportunity came along to get a scholarship to play football at any school, he would be interested, but not necessarily just to play football.

“Definitely,” he said.  “Whatever helps my parents out with the money.  I’ve got to do it for them because they have put out their whole life for me.”

Congratulations to Denley Rodriguez of Saugus High School, the SCVTV/AMG & Associates Student-Athlete of the Week.