Secrets to Success and Staying Driven

In the fifty-two years that OMHS has been standing, there has been a history of having an abundance of talented athletes. Each year, hardworking students are tasked with balancing the struggles of staying on top of their studies and being amazing athletes. How do they manage the physical and mental burden of being a student-athlete? What advice do athletes at the top of their sport have for those new or struggling with a sport? 

You may recognize our first athlete from the football field where he led the Scorps to an amazing season. Senior “Isaac Ramsey accounted for 36 touchdowns (26 rushing, 10 passing), ran for 1434 yards on 165 carries, and threw for 736 yards,” recounted the Howard County Times. Because of his impressive season, he was named the 2024 Howard County Times football offensive Player of the Year. Ramsey is not just an amazing athlete, he is also an accomplished scholar who is involved in various school clubs and activities. Ramsey encountered injuries during his sophomore year which was mentally challenging, but reading philosophy and self-help books such as Meditations by Marcus Aurelius helped him to better his mindset. Ramsey’s father, who was in the Marines, and mother, who was in the Air Force, supported him through hard times preaching affirmations such as, “Sticks and stones break my bones, but words can never hurt me,” which allowed him to adopt a warrior mindset. Other mottos from coaches inspired Ramsey, such as “TPW” (Tough People Win). Some advice Ramsey would give athletes is to, “Never quit. If you’re passionate about something, do your best, because if it’s really meant for you, it will come together.” Ramsey has committed to Georgetown University for football and track.

 Our next student-athlete is Senior Ayo Adeniyi, who committed to Dartmouth College for football. Adeniyi began playing football during his junior year of high school. Though he had natural talent, he continued to work hard by going to football camps. By dedicating time and energy to the sport, Adeniyi quickly began to see offers and scholarships rain in. Although there have been times he’s felt unmotivated, he kept pushing through because of his drive to succeed. Some motivating words from Coach Browne that Adeniyi sticks by are, “You can’t go broke off of taking a profit,” meaning you have to take things step by step by looking at the details you need to get to the big goal. Some advice he would give to athletes is, “Find something that you love, then work and invest in that.” A ritual he always does before his game is to pray during the National Anthem, which he says allows him to focus on a big game.

Junior basketball star Chloe Greenway is an extremely talented athlete who’s played all her life on AAU basketball and currently plays for the OM Girls Varsity basketball team. Greenway has experienced the stress and pressures of being a student-athlete and says she believes that when something becomes too hard, it’s okay to take breaks. She’s thankful for Coach Couglan because even though she’s had difficult games, he’s always been nothing but encouraging and understanding. Some advice she would give other athletes is, “To find people who have the same passion as you and the same goals, and lastly, find a friend or a coach who can be there for you.” 

Another amazing basketball player is Senior Destiny Macharia. She began playing at the early age of four but didn’t take the sport seriously until her middle school years. At the end of last year, Macharia began to get a little discouraged. She felt as though her heart was definitely in her sport, but she needed to focus on the bigger picture about the advantages of continuing this sport such as possible scholarships. Macharia finds that praying and taking care of her body has kept her going both mentally and physically. She’s also inspired by her coach, Coach Couglan, because of his passion for his players. He’s given the affirmation that “champions adjust,” which means to succeed, you must adapt to every environment. Recently, Macharia has accomplished hitting 1,000 points in her high school basketball career! Some advice she would give to another athlete is that “Everything in life is hard and will never be easy, so when you find yourself struggling, do not give up or quit because no matter what the passion is, you have to keep pushing and keep focusing on that.” 

Sophomore track star Codi Malott’s running career began in middle school and so far, the young track star never fails to bring the competition! Malott has been doing exceptionally well, making it all the way to the Outdoor National Championships. Malott has had times where she’s felt unmotivated, one of them being when she contracted pneumonia which proved to be mentally and physically challenging. For Malott, her motivation is her goal to get a scholarship and make it into her dream school, Florida A&M University. A motivating quote she heavily resonates with is, “You are living proof that one can go through hell and back and still choose to be kind.” Some advice she wants to give to athletes is, “Don’t give up because even though someone else may be more advanced than you at your sport, if you work hard and put in daily effort, you yourself can get there as well.”

The next athlete, Senior Gabe Murray, inherited track as a sport before the age of twelve and found an immediate love for it. Murray has seen his fair share of difficulties when it came to track. He pulled his hamstring twice and found this hardship mentally challenging since he felt he was at a good place with track at the time of his injury. Murray credits his father and his inspiring speeches as one of his biggest motivations growing up. Murray also enjoys reading motivational books, including The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy. Murray also began praying to help him clear his mind with find hope that he could recover from his injury quickly. Some advice he would give to other athletes is, “Don’t let other people bring you down or influence your life. Even if it’s negative talk, don’t let it get into your head, brush it off.” 

Senior Alicia Hall is a fabulous athlete who is actually involved with two sports. She’s on OM’s track and field team as well as being a gymnast. She’s been doing gymnastics for twelve years and loves her sport, but sometimes she does find that she pressures herself too much for perfection. Her mother has pushed her to try her hardest and supported her during difficult moments such as injuries and a loaded schedule. The fact that Hall is a senior makes her work even harder to accomplish her goals so she’ll feel accomplished in her years of sweat and tears. A quote that has stuck with Hall is, “Pain is weakness leaving the body.” Some advice she would give to another athlete is, “Motivation comes and goes, but discipline keeps you consistent. Build habits that align with your goals even on the tough days.” 

Senior Katherine Sanders is an exceptional swimmer who works her hardest each and every day. Sanders began swimming at the young age of seven years old, then continued to a year-round team. She’s a very dedicated athlete who swims every day at the crack of dawn. She expresses how there have been times when she’s had periods of sickness or simply a rough couple of months, but still perseveres and gives her all. Managing her time outside of her sport, such as sleeping, has influenced her mental and physical health positively, giving her the strength to work day after day. A motivating quote she’s received from her coach that stuck with her would be, “What you do at practice doesn’t matter as much as showing up, which is a huge part.” Some advice Sanders would give to athletes is, “To listen to yourself, if something isn’t for you, be honest with yourself!”

Lastly, Senior Keyara Headley is the co-captain of OM’s varsity cheerleading team. Headley began cheerleading at the age of six and hasn’t stopped for twelve years now! She was the first in her family to join the sport, though she is now teammates with her younger sister, freshman Kashira Headley. Keyara made it all the way to the second highest level of cheerleading, level six on her all-star team, Maryland Twisters Fire. Headley recalls a year that was challenging for her when she was expected to do a challenging move and felt pressured by her coaches. After taking a break, she joined high school cheerleading, which made her gain her love for the sport again. Physically, Headley tries to give herself breaks which includes giving herself rest in her busy schedule. She also tries to keep herself in a good mental state and does that by not being so hard on herself. Some advice Headley would give other athletes is to, “Keep going. Although moments get really hard, you have to believe in yourself and find someone you can go to in moments when you doubt yourself.”

Success, hard work, and dedication are all around us at OM! Hopefully, some advice from familiar faces may help you gain confidence in the sport you choose. Remember to take chances, do your best, and be your authentic self. Let the words sink in and apply these positive mindsets in your day-to-day life, not just in athletics.