Kids are drawn to a particular sport for many reasons. Evan Colbert says his start in wrestling happened because he was undersized. Somehow in middle school it just took off. Now a junior at Del City High School, Evan has repeatedly proven his skill on the mat.
Evan displayed his talent this year when he became the state wrestling runner-up. Another accomplishment he fondly remembers is making Team Oklahoma and winning an All-American team title with them even though he was on the junior varsity squad at the time.
Wrestling along with running cross country has given Evan goals to strive for. Patience, the value of hard work and a strong work ethic are all life skills he says came from sports.
These accomplishments did not come without challenges. “I’m passionate about my sports because they help me distract myself from my recent diagnosis of bipolar disorder and they also keep me busy with my ADHD,” said Evan.
“The best advice I have been given is to keep pushing through my mental health every day. It gets hard, there are always highs and lows, but we know I can do anything I set my mind to,” said Evan.
Evan hopes to be able to give back like his favorite high school teacher, Miss Bell, who helped him get through a lot once in high school.
Evan wants to give a shout out to Maliq Johnson. “My teammate and best friend, he is somebody I can always talk to when I need a shoulder to cry on,” he says, “and to Manny Roger’s, KJ Evans and Cash Donnel who have both been impactful teammates for me. They both were state champs and helped me get a lot of work done.”
Evan’s strength today comes in part from his mother who showed him how to be strong. “My mom inspired me a lot after her battle with cancer when I was young. It lets me know that I can keep going,” said Evan.
Evan’s talents are not restricted to athletics. He is also in band, jazz band, and has discovered a love for the stage. His dramatic skills shined as the lead antagonist in the recently presented Percy Jackson musical. “I love the drama program I recently entered. They have treated me like one of their own and I can’t thank them enough,” says Evan.
