By Derrick Smith
High school student-athletes have a bit of a juggling act that they have to do in order to be successful. Their practice and preparation for their sport is key, but if they neglect their school work, they will not be eligible to play. Dylan McDougal says that it is a lot but he knows that it is worth it.
“It has taken a lot of time and dedication for me to get to where I am today,” he said. “There have been a lot of early mornings and late nights. Being a student-athlete, you have to stay on top of your work too, but in the end, it is all worth it.”
McDougal is a senior at Moore High School. He plays shooting guard and strong forward for the Lions basketball team.
“I started playing basketball when I was a little boy,” he said. “But I really started to get serious about it when I was in the seventh grade.”
Throughout his life, Dylan says that there have been people that have influenced him in one way or another. But there have been a few people that have made the biggest impact on his life.
“My parents have been awesome role models for me,” he said. “They both worked hard to give me the opportunities that I have now and both have raised me into the man I am. Also, my engineering teacher, Mr. Johnson was a great teacher. He taught me how to problem splice and to look at things from different angles.”
Gregg Hardin, Moore boys basketball coach, says that Dylan is the kind of kid that coaches appreciate.
“Dylan is one of the hardest working kids I’ve coached,” Hardin said. “He works hard and has embraced his role as a leader on this team.”
During his athletic career, McDougal has experienced many different memorable moments. Though they were all great moments, he says that there is one of them that stands out the most. “Earlier this season, we were playing basketball at Westmoore,” Dylan recalled. “I hit four three-pointers in a row, which brought us close to tying the game up. In the end, we managed to take the lead, hang on, and win the ball game. It was a great game.”
