Hours spent in the gym helped lead to the moment Jaylen Cauthron is proudest of: winning a basketball state championship with Broken Bow.
Now a senior, Cauthron competes in basketball, softball and track. Each sport asks something different of her, but all three have strengthened the work ethic she relies on in competition and in the classroom.
“Sports have taught me how to have a good work ethic,” Cauthron said.
That lesson is one reason Cauthron feels at home in the gym. It is her favorite place in Broken Bow because effort is difficult to hide there. Players can talk about what they want to accomplish, but practice shows who is willing to work toward it.
“You can always tell who puts in the work,” Cauthron said.
Cauthron understands that work firsthand. Winning a state championship is the accomplishment that stands above the rest of her high school career. It provided a reward for the time invested by everyone on the team and gave Cauthron a memory that will remain important long after her senior season ends.
The people around her have helped make that journey meaningful. Teammate A’nyah Griffin has made the greatest impression on Cauthron because of the encouragement she offers.
“No matter what, she will always lift everyone up,” Cauthron said.
Griffin’s willingness to support others has shown Cauthron the difference one teammate can make. That kind of encouragement matters during practices and disappointing moments, when a team must stay together and continue working.
As Cauthron finishes her time at Broken Bow, she is grateful for the people who have stayed beside her through each sport and season. Her accomplishments may include a state championship, but she knows she did not reach that moment alone.
“I would like to thank God and my parents for always believing in me and showing me the way to go,” Cauthron said.
Their support, along with the example set by her teammates and teachers, has helped Cauthron become the athlete and person she is today. She plans to keep showing up, putting in the work and carrying those lessons with her beyond Broken Bow.
