The Great Plains Family YMCA celebrated University of Oklahoma football player and WHS grad Ethan Downs on Saturday as Downs named the Great Plains Family YMCA his home gym.
“Hearing that the YMCA was a Christian organization got me interested in the sponsorship,” Downs said. “Going to the weight room, swimming in the pool, the indoor running track and being around the good people are some of the things I really enjoy about the gym. I come here often and they said, ‘Hey, do you want to be a spotlight for us?’ I thought it sounded really cool.”
Downs said some of his favorite memories from his time at the YMCA are coming with friends and playing racquetball. “We would try to play as loud as we could on those courts,” he said.
Food trucks, special merchandise and an autograph station were brought in for the day, and many local kids and their families came out to meet Downs and show their support. Downs showed the young boys the correct ways to throw and catch a football, and he even led them through several practice drills.
Downs said, “It’s awesome to see the support of the community. It’s exciting because I was a fan growing up and now I’m getting to live it out. A lot of people are encouraging me, telling me to make the most of it, to have no regrets and no doubts. For people to put on stuff like this here in Weatherford it’s more encouragement for me to keep doing what I’m doing.”
When asked about the summer preparation for his upcoming football season with the Sooners, Downs emphasized the difficult training all the players endure. “Coach Schmidtty (Schmidt) has led the strength and conditioning through the summer. So everyday we’re out in the heat,” Downs said.
Downs also said that he stays busy even when he is not training physically. “Even on breaks like this, there are always opportunities for NIL (name, image and likeness), so I’m always staying busy.”
When asked about transitioning from Weatherford High School football to OU football, Downs said the mental aspect was the biggest difference. “The mental game is studying, preparation, confidence and being able to handle the stress, handle more responsibility. Maturity level is a huge difference between high school and college football.”