Ryan Deleon is a senior at Hollis High School. He participates in basketball and track. He got his start in basketball when he was very young. As he looked back on his childhood, he always had a ball in his hands. Deleon started with recreational and travel ball, then moved on to the little leagues in school. The highest moment in his basketball career so far has been starting with varsity as only a freshman. He’s previously won many awards, the most recent being Shortgrass All Conference for two consecutive years. Deleon’s favorite part about basketball is watching the ball fly through the net.
His biggest positive impact and biggest role model has been his mom. He explained that she has always worked hard to provide for him and his siblings. When things get tough for Deleon, his mom always keeps his head up.
“She’s pushed me in every way possible to be the best that I can be at anything that I do. She shows me that to be the best possible you have to work hard for it, because it doesn’t come easy,” Deleon said.
In his free time, Deleon likes to play basketball and PS5 with his brother. His favorite subject in school is science, because he finds everything in the subject interesting. His favorite teacher is Mrs. Manny, because she’s easy to work with, a great teacher, and helps when you’re having trouble with an assignment.
After high school, Deleon plans to attend college to begin his studies to become a nurse practitioner, specializing in dermatology. He’s not sure where he’ll begin that journey, only that he hopes to get to continue playing basketball and wants to stay close by to be there for his younger siblings.
For Deleon, being a great athlete means having dedication. Sports have taught him how to be a leader and how to work with his teammates to bring home the win. His advice to his fellow athletes is not to give up on their dreams and to keep pushing themselves to be the best.
By Ariel Casida
