Athlete Spotlight: Watonga Senior Makes Comeback After ACL Injury

Osten Robert Reyes is a senior at Watonga High School, and playing his last season wearing red and white for the Eagle basketball team. Reyes is a sharpshooter and a starter for the Watonga basketball team. However, things have not always gone so easy in his basketball career. During his junior year, Reyes suffered an injury to the ACL in his knee, putting him out of all activities for nearly 10 months.

Osten became interested in basketball in the 4th grade when Mrs. Ross, the former Physical Education teacher at the Watonga Elementary School, got him involved in the sport. “She made me wanna play and I never really used to like basketball,” Reyes said. He grew up into a basketball family. In fact, one of Reyes’s biggest inspirations is to be like his uncle, Parry Roman Nose, who made All State his freshman year, and was a member of the Watonga basketball team that last made it to state. But Mrs. Ross really sparked the passion in him for basketball.

The injury Osten faced was tough. After going up for a layup and having an odd air position, Reyes’s anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee tore. Learning how to walk again was one of the biggest challenges in the comeback in the beginning for him. Alexis Smith, Osten’s girlfriend, was a big help to him throughout the recovery. Although Reyes is now released to play, he still goes through challenges with the injury. After most games, Reyes explained that his knee can tighten up, making it difficult to walk, which can even last for multiple days.

Basketball is Osten’s main passion in life. His life has revolved around it for quite some time now. “If I didn’t have basketball, I wouldn’t be anything in my eyes,” Osten sincerely stated. When asked about this year's season, Reyes said, “I feel like we’re gonna be the best that we’ve been in a really long time.” Him and his teammates are like brothers. His goals for this season is to make it to the “Big House,” with his teammates, and win a gold ball. Coming back from the injury, Reyes wanted to return to the sport stronger. He said that he wanted to “Try to be the same player I was when I left, if not better.” He’s still working towards this goal, using it as one of his main motivators when faced with pain and hardships. His teammate Devon Wilson has helped Osten a lot over the past year, always being there for him and helping him to be good examples for his other teammates.

The sport has taught him a lot, like how to have self control and trust in other people. Basketball has helped him learn how to work with his teammates, and be a leader. He feels a great responsibility for his teammates as a senior. When feeling pain, Osten thinks about his team to help him to keep going, so he doesn’t let them down.

His biggest inspiration in his life is his grandma, Carla Rolfe. “She’s been the main person that’s always been there for me. She’s taken care of me my entire life,” Reyes said about her. She pushes Osten to be the best he can be, in his life and in basketball. His grandma loves basketball, and she’s always there to tell him what to do and push him through hard games.

Reyes hopes to get a scholarship to play basketball in college. He would like to play the game for as long as possible. He wouldn’t mind playing anywhere, as long as he could continue his basketball career. He wants to study either business or physical education, which would allow him to stay on the sports scene throughout his future.