Athlete of the Week: Senior Ryan Ostrich

Senior Ryan Ostrich ranks fourth in the state, and second in 4A, with his 675 yards rushing. Last week he rushed for 224 yards and two touchdowns to add to his eight total for the season.

For you, what was a highlight of your most recent competition? I think the highlight of the last game, even though we lost, we just kept fighting and we didn’t give up. It shows the drive our team has and how we will never give up. 

What makes your sport special and different? Football has always been special to me. My favorite part is the contact of the sport. It is a good place to just get everything out, and it shows how tough you are. 

How long have you been into this sport, and what were the early days of your participation? I have been playing football since I was able to hold a ball. I have always been the running back, and it is very enjoyable. 

How did/do you cope with any setbacks/losses you’ve experienced in your sport? You go out the next week of practice and work even harder and push yourself to your limits and go out the next week and show people what you can really do. 

Who has been particularly influential in helping your growth in this sport? My dad. He has been coaching me since I was little, and he played running back in high school as well. He always pushes me to my limits and helps me with what I need to work on and points out the things I’m doing well.

What do you do to prepare yourself before a game? I get really nervous, so I usually just think of what the game is going to look like and just try to picture myself doing the right things and scoring touchdowns, and it helps me get ready. I also watch film to see what the defense is going to be doing.

How do you work on improving your skills in this sport? Stay in the weight room and get out on the field and do agility workouts and push myself until I perfect it.

What’s a personal skill that you are targeting lately? I have been trying to work on my explosiveness when I get hit and try to truck people.

Do you have plans to play this sport after high school? Yes

What’s the most rewarding thing about your sport? The feeling of winning after a game and the feeling of being sore, so it makes you feel like you accomplished something.

What has been a highlight for you/your team so far this season? I think going into that second game against West, and we got our run and pass game going, and we looked really good.

As you see it, what are the biggest tests remaining for you/your team yet this season? We have a lot to work on, we just need to keep practicing and getting rid of the mental errors. We have the physical part down now. We just need to work on the mental part of the game.