“Whether you win or lose, give it your all. Do it to the best of your ability because there’s always 10 pairs of little eyes watching your every move saying I want to be just like her.”
The words of inspiration from her coach are the driving force behind the championship efforts of Rebekah Bunch as the Oktaha junior pursues a second straight gold medal as the Class 2A discus state champion.
“I don’t want to look too far ahead. Yes I want to win another gold medal but I can’t do that if I don’t keep my head right and stay on top of practice and getting stronger,” said Bunch with a humble voice.
The multi-talented junior won the gold medal with a throw of 129 feet 1 inch last year. Competing in four high school meets in 2022, “Bekah” has won first place each time in the discus while also earning points in shot put competition. In addition to track, Bekah stays busy playing softball for the Lady Tigers.
“It’s definitely a busy schedule. I train and throw in Tulsa on Sundays. Mondays we have softball games or practice and then I workout in Eufaula that night. Tuesdays I either have meets or games. On Wednesdays I have practice then go to Eufaula to lift before going to church. Thursday and Friday schedules depend on if I have softball and I try to go to Tulsa one of those days and throw. Saturdays if I don’t have school meets there’s a good chance I have a meet in Tulsa with USATF. It’s definitely a lot, a tight schedule but I like to be busy. I like to have something to do and I for sure have that.”
Driven by the inspiration of Bunch’s biggest fan, her grandpa, Bekah knows success requires more than just training or talent.
“In everything I do, I strive to be dedicated, determined and most importantly, disciplined,” replied Bekah who also maintains a 4.08 weighted GPA. “You can be as strong and athletic as anyone on earth, but if you’re not disciplined in what you do then you won’t get as far as you have the potential to achieve.”
Her determination to be the best is also why good character is a major part of Bunch’s DNA.
“Who you are when all the winning and the good times are stripped away or who you are when you’re not the best at something and how you treat others in that situation is when you prove your character,” Bunch explained.
“Just because I’m having a bad day doesn’t mean I can’t cheer on my teammates and make sure they don’t get down on themselves.”
Through the eyes of this Tiger, it’s all part of the Oktaha tradition of success.
“Being an Oktaha Tiger is being respectful and responsible everywhere you go. Being able to carry yourself in a way that lets people know you’re not going to make a choice just because it’s the easy one.”
