KIN FOLK: With Speed, Talent, and a Famous Football Lineage, Davion Vanderbilt Is Ready for His Moment – VYPE

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Channelview's Davion Vanderbilt
When you think of Channelview High School, you can’t help but think of one of the most recognizable names in sports — Jalen Hurts. Hurts’ exploits were legendary on the football field and the track, coached by his father, Averion Hurts.
The genes are strong at Channelview as wide receiver Davion Vanderbilt has emerged as the Big Falcon on campus. The first cousin of Hurts even bears a striking resemblance to the Super Bowl champion.
“He’s obviously my favorite player,” Vanderbilt said. “But Jalen just proves to me that you can attain your dreams through hard work.”
That message has resonated with Vanderbilt as he’s matured.
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
“I used to play around and be immature, but I’ve grown to see all my family as examples, along with their successes.”
Vanderbilt has already picked up a few offers on the football field as a wide receiver and continues to build his brand on the track as well.
“For me, it’s about staying healthy,” the junior said. “My hamstring held me back a little bit last year, but I feel great now.
“Track helps me so much with my speed and endurance in football, while football gives me the toughness and strength to push through the 200-meter dash. I’m just working on finishing strong through the line and not letting up at the end.”
With the bloodline, the speed and the mindset, Vanderbilt is carving out his own path at Channelview. And if history is any indication, the Falcons may have another name ready to rise on the big stage.
ASHTIAN CHATHAM BALANCES TWO WORLDS — AND THRIVES IN BOTH.
A student at Aldine Blanson CTE High School, where she’s pursuing computer programming, Chatham heads across the district to compete for Davis High School track and field — and she’s rewriting the record books when she gets there.
“I’m a very competitive person,” she said. “When I first started, I wasn’t that good — but I wanted to get better. It stuck. My improvement was gradual.”
That steady climb turned into history. Chatham now holds the school records in the 400 and 800 meters, with bigger goals still ahead.
“My goals this year are to also break the school record for the mile.”
Middle-distance racing is as mental as it is physical — something she embraces.
“The 400 and 800 are really about who wants it more at the end,” she said. “It’s about grit.”
What she loves most about track is its simplicity — and its honesty.
“If I do good, it’s because of me. If I do bad, it’s on me too,” she said. “You don’t have to depend on anyone else.”
Make no mistake — she wants to win.
“I like to win. That’s just how I’m built. But I’m not mean competitive.”
Her future includes college track, but her ambitions stretch beyond the oval. At Blanson CTE, she’s immersed in computer programming and sees herself one day becoming a data analyst.
“I’m into computer programming. I see myself being a data analyst,” she said.
The balance isn’t always easy. She’s enrolled in AP and dual-credit classes — a workload that demands discipline.
“It’s very stressful to be in AP classes and dual-credit classes,” she admitted. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I like to challenge myself. In the classroom, I try my best.”
Track provides a contrast.
“Blanson is where I go for academics. I come to Davis to do sports. Davis is a breath of fresh air. It’s cool to meet all sorts of different people.”
Off the track, she keeps things light. She plays volleyball with friends, enjoys cooking — and especially eating — and is currently catching up on the anime One Piece.
“I love the fantasy aspect of the genre,” she said. “I love Zoro — he’s always getting lost. I can relate to that.”
Lost? Maybe sometimes. Driven? Always.
Whether she’s chasing a school record, debugging code or grinding through the final stretch of an 800, Ashtian Chatham is proof that competitiveness and curiosity can coexist — and that the finish line is only the beginning.
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