Ethan Stovall
Ethan Stovall is a senior at Oklahoma Christian School. He has attended school there since kindergarten.
He runs for the cross country and track and field teams at OCS. His roots run deep and into Marshall County. He has many proud family members. Some have even become a bit of an inspiration to some.
Stovall is a 3A State Champion in the 1600, 3200, and 4x800 for both 2021 and 2022; six state titles all together. His team won state track for both 2021 and 2022. His cross-country team also won state in class 4a in the year 2021.
Stovall said that his biggest challenge was his junior cross-country season where he learned that success in the sport won’t come without pain and his favorite memory in cross country was when he ran the 3200 in state in 2021.
“That was the first time I felt true pain and pushed passed it’” Stovall said.
On July 9, 2022, Stovall competed in the Nike High School Nationals at the historical Hayward Field in Eugene Ore., where only a small percentage of the top track and field athletes across the country qualify and make it. He said it is difficult to describe the emotions he felt during that meet.
“Getting to run at Hayward field was an amazing privilege that I will never forget,” Stovall proudly shared. “Just the feeling of standing in the stadium is special enough. It truly is the home of legends of the past and the birthplace for legends of tomorrow.”
Stovall gave his coaches the credit for who he has become athletically.
“I wouldn’t be who I am today without their knowledge and love of the sport. They have done so much for me, and I couldn’t thank them enough.”
He noted that cross country has always been a love of his.
“I never really had inspiration in this sport other than my own desire to be something special.,” Stovall said. “I’ve always wanted to become great at something and running for me was just that something. My advice to the younger class is that the key to success in this sport is to want it more than the guy next to you on the line. Without the desire to win you will fold the second your faced with pain. This sport is 90% mental. It’s purely who can take the most pain is the winner.”
Stovall shared how he feels he has been inspired in life by his dad, Brent Stovall. He his dad taught him that with hard work you can achieve what you set out to do in life and that anything worth doing in life is going to be hard.
“I would like to thank my parents for sacrificing so much time and effort for me,” Stovall said. “I would like to thank my dad especially. He became fully devoted to my athletic career and taught me so much about the sport. Out of everyone who has helped me, he has helped me the most and I owe him the most gratitude.”
He said his plan after high school is to attend college and see how far his running career will possibly take him. No matter what, running will always be in his life.
“I love this sport and it will always be a part of my life in some way.”