Bob Jones’ Arnav Maskey wins regional Bryant-Jordan Award
MADISON – Athleticism, intelligence and humanitarian. These facets of the life of Arnav Maskey has earned him the Class 7A, Region 4 Scholar-Athlete Recipient of the 41st annual Bryant-Jordan Student-Athlete Scholarship. He will be among similar 52 senior student-athletes from across Alabama to attend the Awards Banquet scheduled for April 13 at Birmingham’s Sheraton Hotel.
“It’s an honor to be recognized for the time I put into my school work, playing soccer and help in my community,” said 17-year old Maskey, who is the three-year captain of the Bob Jones soccer team, ranked second in his senior class with a weighted 5.48 grade point average and owns an organization which assists underprivileged children. “It’s been a journey and I attribute a lot of my success to the support I’ve had from my family, coaches and teammates.”
As a member of the Patriots soccer team (10-2-1), currently ranked No. 3 in the Class 7A rankings in Alabama, the 6-foot, 155-pound midfielder currently has three each goals and assists during the 2026 season and has been a team leader in both statistics the last two seasons, named team MVP as a junior and named All-State in both his sophomore and junior seasons. In his varsity play at Bob Jones he has amassed 24 goals and 22 assists, which clearly shows his athleticism to be superb.
“I’m creative in my play on the soccer field as I feel I have versatility and the desire to win and do what’s best for the team. I have explosive movement stemming from being quick, plus I also have strength to hold off opponents, despite my thin body frame,” said Maskey, as he was born pre-mature to parents to Manil and Jenika Maskey, both from Nepal, a country in South Asia. His birth condition caused him to grow slowly and who finally began to grow into his frame upon reaching high school. “Since being small, I had to develop my soccer skills and my IQ of the game and doing so has made me a better player.”
“His ability to motivate his teammates through both words and actions fosters a culture of teamwork and commitment. Arnav excels at managing his time effectively, prioritizing tasks without compromising his performance,” said Bob Jones three-year head coach Michael Parker.
Maskey is hoping to play college soccer once he graduates from Bob Jones in May and is strong on the idea of academics being a top priority with or without a place on a college soccer program. He’s looking at possibly studying AI in the field of medicine and has had experience in that area as last summer he accepted the placement in a six-week research program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston where he was under the guidance of a Harvard professor applying research in the area of artificial intelligence applied to an MRI medical testing equipment. He was one of only 100 from around the world to be invited to apply his intelligence in an area which is highly sophisticated and eye-opening.
“I’m currently in a dual enrollment program combined with UAH and I’m taking probability and statistics class with the university, as well as, three classes at Bob Jones where I attend the high school campus from 8:00 a.m. until noon each day,” said Maskey, who began taking piano classes at age four and can still put his fingers on the ivory keys to play a tune either by reading music or by musical ear. He’s member of several clubs including National Honor Society, Athletics Society and Math Society and is an active member of both the Bob Jones math and debate teams. His math team finished third in the state in his sophomore year and fourth in his junior campaign.
“He was chosen to play in the prestigious North-South All-Star Game, furthering showcasing his exceptional talent and recognition within the broader soccer community,” said Parker. “He is only the second player in Bob Jones history to play in that summertime game.”
As an only child, Maskey trekked through his childhood playing numerous sports before tackling soccer as his main sport in the eighth grade with the help of his parents. Since age six, he’s played for the local United Soccer Club and also played for the Alabama FC travel team based in Birmingham last summer. Through all of his efforts on the field and in the classroom, his most significant efforts are giving to his community.
“I help run an afternoon school math program where I go to elementary schools and help those students needing assistance in math solving and also run a summer math middle school camp,” said Maskey, who added, “I also own an organization called The Power of the Pitch, which takes quality used soccer equipment and sends that athletic equipment to underprivileged kids in my parent’s home country of Nepal. Our efforts are supported by donations to take care of the shipping costs and other expenses to run the program.”
“What sets Arnav apart is his character,” added Parker of his star player. “His act of quiet leadership speaks volumes about who he is as a person. He possesses a genuine drive to grow, contribute and lead.”
The Bryant-Jordan Award was built on the unconditional belief that education and athletics could work together to motivate young people to excel. The award is broken into the Scholar Athlete Award and the Student-Athlete Achievement Award. Each of the 52 region winners representing the seven athletic classifications in each award received a $3,000 scholarship. The 14 classifications winners will receive an additional $3,500 and each overall state winner will receive a $4,000 stipend. The program brings together the best and brightest high school student-athletes to celebrate their achievements.
“When I received word I had won my region, I was maybe shocked, but definitely pleasantly surprised and it showcases the combination of things I’ve worked on my whole life,” added Maskey.
