by Chris Chandler
Mya Watson has had an interesting journey to the class 4A state track championships in May. Despite placing 6th in the shot put finals in 2019, (there was no meet in 2020), the Broken Bow senior almost did not return to compete.
“It’s kind of a funny story. At Regionals (the previous week, qualifying for state), my coaches were, like, ‘stop talking to people – keep to yourself and focus.’ I had one of my worst meets ever. I scratched my first two throws and almost didn’t qualify in discus,” said Watson. “I threw the shot really bad and still placed second, but my form was way off. I just had a mental day. Before the state meet, the coaches told me ‘Forget everything we said and just be Mya’.”
Quick to smile, Watson has a warm personality and is naturally gregarious. She entered the state meet a bit nervous, but armed with her sense of humor and the comfort of knowing she could just be herself.
“The state meet was held at the same place (Catoosa) where I had fallen down in front of everyone on my very first throw of the meet when I was a sophomore, which was a little intimidating,” Watson recalled. “When I got there this time, I started talking to people. The other girls were nice. We were giving each other tips and laughing. It was a lot of fun and I just got really calm.”
Watson threw for personal bests and wound up on the podium in both events, placing fourth in shot put and fifth in discus.
Already committed to attend the University of Oklahoma on a track scholarship to throw the shot put and the hammer, Mya says she also had college offers to participate in powerlifting (she was a state champion her sophomore year) plus an offer from University of Central Oklahoma to compete in rowing (The Bronchos have won the last three NCAA DII Rowing titles).
Mya is following in a family tradition that includes Jaylon, her eldest brother, who played football at Wyoming in the same backfield as current Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Mya’s brother Reece and both of her parents attended Southeastern Oklahoma State University on athletic scholarships.
Though she graduated from Broken Bow High School weeks ago and doesn’t report for orientation until August, Mya will still have a very busy summer. She is working as a VISTA volunteer at Idabel helping organize middle school summer programs. She also works at the Hochatown Rescue Center with a large variety of animals, both native and exotic. Her cheerful personality and easy laugh will brighten both venues until she begins college in the fall.
It takes no effort for her to shine becaue she’s just being Mya.
