Athlete Spotlight: State Qualifier Rooted in His Culture

Ernesto Duenez is 16 and a junior at Watonga High School. He’s very involved with his school activities, as he’s in a number of clubs and he’s in football and wrestling. He’s gone to Watonga Public Schools for all of his life, and is now enrolled at the Western Technology Center for engineering.

Duenez loves football. His best friend, Caymon, and he grew up listening to Caymon’s dad tell them stories about him being a state champion back when he was in high school. It inspired both of them to be involved in the sport from a young age, and it was always THE sport for Ernesto. Last season was a “rebuilding” year for Duenez. The new staff was amazing to have this year, and they were all very encouraging to him. Ernesto couldn’t pick out one or two specific people that have helped him in the sport. Many people have taught him the aspects of football, and how to get up after being knocked down. “All-in-all I don't think I have one specific coach, they’ve all just been amazing to me, they’ve always taught me something,” he said.

His “why” for playing is family and having the ability to never give up when things get tough. “Just to be the most mentaly strong, that I’ll know for sure that if something comes my way I won’t really give up.” Football as a sport has given him many of the qualities of himself that he’s most proud of. “Football is definitely the sport that taught me the most like how to be resilient. … Even if you get hit hard or something happens just get basically back up,” Duenez said. He’s able to stay strong under pressure and work well with his teammates, which he calls a “brotherhood.”

This winter, Ernesto was a state qualifier in wrestling. He’s been wrestling since his freshman year and is starting to get looks from coaches at colleges for the sport. He originally joined to help him out with football, but soon found a liking to the sport. Although the program is still being built up, Duenez keeps improving every year. He made it to state last year, but this year it “meant something” to him. “This year I knew I could make it, last year it was more of just … keep going at it,” he said. Although he missed the podium this year, next year his main goal is to make it. The tough tournaments Coach Grant Williams took him to really helped with his state tournament mindset.

Wrestling has gone hand in hand with what football has taught him, but this was more “mental” for him. “The only thing in front of me is gonna be me,” Duenez said. The resilience and mental toughness have given him the grit to keep going. Williams has helped him the most in wrestling. “He has shown us a lot. … He worked with all of us and he’d tell you straight up if you did something wrong,” he said. Williams has taught Ernesto to be accountable and to work hard every day in practice. The passion Williams had for wrestling has definitely rubbed off on Ernesto. “He sees worth in all of us.”

Ernesto plans on going to college and becoming a Mechanical Engineer. If he were to continue a sport in college it would be wrestling, but Duenez hasn't decided if that is the path he would want to take.

He describes himself as being the person that would “drop what I’m doing just to help out a person.” Everyone Duenez comes across can teach him something, and he tries to treat everyone like a story. Ernesto is grateful for everyone that’s been in his life and new people that have come in, like his girlfriend, “the very own” Piper Gallagher. “She has shown me some things. She has shown me a lot and opened my eyes a bit more and so I do appreciate that.” He wants to be remembered as being a good person to anyone he comes across. “I believe that… in this world we’re supposed to love each other and appreciate who we are as people. There’s enough hate as it is, so why not just take time out of your day to be a good person,” he said. Growing up with his siblings was “chaos” but they can still teach him something new every chance they get. “I do appreciate that I grew up with siblings.” His mother and his grandmother have been the most influential in his life. “They’re the ones that just showed me how to be respectful and polite … and how to act, really.”

He’s also very in tune with his culture and heritage as a Hispanic. He’s visited Mexico several times before, and he knows the culture well. “It’s definitely a really beautiful culture. It's something that’s important to me. That’s who I am. I’m Hispanic and I am proud of that.”

Ernesto Duenez, 16

Grade- Junior

Family- Martha Duenez and Jose Duenez (parents), Yeslithy, Pedro and Julian Duenez and Jose Dueñas (siblings)

Activities- FCCLA, NHS, Heritage Club, Football, Wrestling

Hobbies- Sports, hanging out with friends, guitar, theater, working