Paducah Tilghman senior A.W. Southern signed a Rodeo Team scholarship with Sam Houston State University in a signing ceremony held at Paducah Tilghman High School on March 13.
Southern was a linebacker for the Tornado his junior and senior years as the team made it to the Class 4A quarterfinals in 2023 and won the Class 4A championship in 2025. While playing football, Southern was also participating in rodeo competitions.
PTHS football head coach Sean Thompson explained that Southern had transferred to PTHS his junior year because he wanted to play football, but he also had commitments to rodeo events that kept him from some workouts and practices.
“Most coaches would have said ‘I don’t think we should do that’ but I believe that you only get these years to do the things that you want to do, so you should do everything that you want to do,” Thompson said.
“The adversity that you went through (due to injuries) has prepared you for life,” said Thompson. “I know you’re going to be successful in life. I know you’re going to be successful in this because I see your passion in it.”
“I want to thank everybody for being here,” said Southern. “This is a huge step in my life being able to take this to the collegiate level and continue to do what I love, and getting to do it with my older sister, who is also on the rodeo team. That’s pretty special to me.”
You can watch PTTV’s video of A.W.’s signing here: