The stadium lights hit the new turf as he runs onto the field, with his face painted blue and gold, ready for the biggest night of the year. Dominic Ganir, a dual-sport varsity athlete and football captain, was chosen as homecoming royalty. His teammates say he sets the tone every time he steps onto the field and he wanted to show an example for younger players. “I want the guys to see that I show up every single day. If I expect that from them, it has to start with me.” Dominic has been playing sports his whole life, and he credits those early years for shaping the competitor he is now. He says, “I learned a long time ago that games are won during the week. You can’t just flip a switch on Friday.” Dominic is always trying to keep everything steady. “I try to stay calm and keep everyone focused, even when things get tight. If the leader panics, everyone else will too,” Ganir said. But his impact goes beyond football. This fall, his classmates voted him into homecoming royalty, a moment that surprised him more than anything on the field. “I didn’t expect it at all,” he said. “It meant a lot because it came from the whole school, not just the team.” Balancing that attention with his responsibilities as a captain has been a new challenge for him. “It’s cool, but I still try to be the same person. Titles don’t mean anything if your actions don’t match. People notice how you carry yourself more than anything.” Teammates say that is the real reason he earned both roles, not just his talent. “He brings everyone together,” one teammate said. “He’s the guy you trust to talk to when things get rough.” Dominic’s presence will be felt the rest of the school year and missed next year.