High school athletes can be influenced by any number of people. Some can be a part of their lives while others they may see from a distance, such as professional athletes or celebrities. There is another group of people that have an impact on a high school student’s life and that is their teachers. Jack Morgan says that one of his teachers has had an influence on his life. 

“Mrs. Manning would have to be the teacher that has helped me become who I am today,” he said. “I have known her since I was in kindergarten and she was the first teacher who showed me that it is up to me if I want to be the best version of myself. I will have people to help me along the way, but I am going to have to be the one who puts in the work.”

Morgan is a senior at Elk City High School, where he is a member of the cross country and track teams. He is also involved in various groups, including the Student Council, the National Honor Society, the Interact Club, the Senior Class Committee, Special Olympics Unified Partners, Elk City UMC youth, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. 

While his sports focus on running and not physical contact, Jack says that it takes just as much work and dedication to be successful as it would the other sports. 

“I believe the sports I play are more physically demanding and mentally strenuous than any other,” he said. “Everyday before I go out and run I have to be 100% locked in. Mentally and physically. You will not succeed unless you have your body and mind in sync. And when you fail, you have to be mentally strong enough to tell yourself that you’ll be able to bounce back stronger.”

Throughout his career, Jack has made many memories while competing. But out of all of those, he says that there is one memory that stands out as his favorite. 

“I think the highlight of my running career was when I made All-State in cross country my junior year,” he recalled. “It was the first time athletically that I saw all the work I had put in throughout the year pay off. I hope to do it again this year.”