Almost everyone has someone in their life that has played an instrumental role in who they become. It could be someone that is famous that they watch from a distance or someone a little closer to home. High school athletes are no different, and Miguel Howell has a couple of people that have been big influences on his life and are big reasons he is where he is today.

“My mother is my biggest role model,” Howell stated. “When I was growing up, she did everything she could to make sure I had what I needed. And now I feel like it’s my turn to start proving it was not for nothing. Also, my high school basketball coach, Coach Ryan Weathers has had a pretty big impact on me. He is always pushing me to be a better player and is helping me get to the next level.”

A senior at Coyle High School, Miguel plays point guard on the Bluejacket’s basketball team.  He has put in a lot of hard work in to be the player that he is. And while the work is important, Howell says that there are other things that are just as important that some people may not think about.

“In order to be successful in basketball, you have to sacrifice your free time for the sport,” he said. “I personally don’t go out to parties, I would rather go to the gym and work on things.”

Teammates play a big role in a team’s success. A team’s chemistry is not really something that can be taught, it just happens. Miguel says that he is thankful for the chemistry that he and his teammates have on and off the court.

“I would say my highlight moment would be finishing my junior year with a record of 17-6,” he said. “We didn’t go as far as we should have but the bonds we made as a team are something that I wouldn’t trade for anything. I have three teammates I enjoy working against in practice, they are Jace Lemons, Dillan Holder, and Alex Jennings. These three allow me to work on different things in practice.”