On a recent Wednesday morning one-hour before the bell would begin first period, Sr. Gabby Reynolds is trainig in West Ottawa High School’s gym. Her dedication sets her apart from the competition. The Basketball Coaches of Michigan nominated Reynolds for the Miss Basketball Award, a state-wide competition that crowns the senior with the best overall girl’s basketball player.
Even at the beginning of her middle school career, Reynolds found that basketball came easily to her: however, she says that her work ethic didn’t come nearly as easily.
“I used to rarely practice, particularly while I was in season.” At the time, her coach, Scott Pederson, recognized that Gabby had an innate talent on the court; but he knew that she would need more than talent to reach her potential. He wistfully remembers that she “showed up in jeans for our first practice.”
“Gabby had some good basketball skills that she had been working to develop prior to us working together, and she also had some God-given athletic ability. So it was obvious that she was one of our better players…but having coached for years, there have been tons of players that dominated in elementary or middle school only to fizzle a few years late,” Pedersen said.
Ultimately, though, she demonstrated the three characteristics Pedersen looks for in those who will maximize their talent: a willingness to sacrifice, an ability to improve deficiencies, and an “all in” drive to succeed.
Pedersen said, “I love this kid, and know how incredibly hard she has worked to get to this point…she deserves every ounce of success she is enjoying.”
In seventh grade, Coach Joe Diekevers immediately saw the same spark in her that Pederson recognized. “It took me about ten seconds to realize that Gabby was different–she was special, a once-in-a-decade type player. I remember seeing her perfectly execute a between the legs, then behind the back move that most freshmen can’t do. She was smooth, fast, athletic, and had great court vision. I was super fortunate to get to coach her in middle school. I remember telling Coach Chapman when Gabby was a 7th grader that I believed that she would play four years of varsity and eventually score more points than Natalie Dunn, who had just scored 1,000 points and was our star on the varsity team at the time.”
Diekevers was skilled in his prediction, though Reynolds has far exceeded the 1,000-point estimate.
During her freshman year, Reynolds was offered a spot on George Washington University’s basketball team, a Division I school located in the nation’s capital. GWU’s Coach Caroline McCombs said, “I believe the moment I realized Gabby was different was on her official visit. We talked about her being a ‘scoring PG’ and her eyes lit up. She wanted that role and responsibility and it was exactly what we were looking for too so it was a mutual fit. It has been awesome to see her continue to thrive in that role with her high school team this season.”
Reynolds says that her early discussions with McCombs made everything more clear to her: she needed to start working hard to become the best player she could be.
“In April of 2021, when I received my first offer for Division I basketball, I became all in on developing my basketball craft. I started my basketball journey very late compared to most girls, which made my recruitment a little bit slower. I go in the mornings at least two times a week to shoot or train with my trainer, Jorddan Myrick. On top of that, I work out three days in the week, two of which are in the morning. I’m also on a protein regimen. I work out and burn so many calories that it can be weary on my body physically and mentally, so I have to do 30 minutes of either reading or journaling and drink my protein shake every single night before bed.”
Pederson can attest to her exceptional work ethic: “I have coached lots of players that work hard, but elite players train relentlessly. Gabby didn’t just train hard during our practices, but dedicated an exponential amount of time outside of practice to continue to develop. Elite players are a rarity, and so is Gabby. Gabby has consistently strived to do more and to do better for each aspect of her game.”
Grit has been a theme for Reynolds throughout high school: after getting her offer from GWU, she made the decision to practice with discipline and rigor every day. She says it cost her a lot more than just her free time. “I would say it just took a lot of self-restraint. Throughout the summer and fall I had to shut down some activities I really wanted to do. I missed out on going on a trip up north to a friend’s cottage, hanging out with friends at the beach, and going to my cousin’s football games in Chicago during family gatherings. I would go out with friends on weekdays after my games just so I could wake up early the next day and train with my trainer. I strongly believe that if I did succumb to a lot of the temptations of doing fun things, I would not be a potential Miss Basketball player.”
Her relentless pursuit of improvement has led to some amazing things: as of her nomination for Miss Basketball, Reynolds is averaging over 30 points per game, and just about four rebounds and four assists per game as well.
Now that her work is starting to pay off, Reynolds admits that she couldn’t have done it alone, and emphasizes the important role that her teammates have played during her journey through high school basketball.
“I’ve been playing with two of my teammates, Brooke Pederson and Chelsea Overbeek, ever since 6th grade. When we were in middle school, we were a very dominant team and a lot of people believed we would have so much potential as we entered into our high school years. And because of that kind of motivation, and with us having the chemistry we have, it has brought us so much closer, and has made me want to complete my game even more.”
Overbeek, who recently broke West Ottawa’s three-point record during her senior season, asserts that, “Gabby has always been a dominant player, on defense and offense. Being able to play alongside Gabby is an awesome feeling. Not only is she a great player, but she is incredibly humble. For how good she is, she never makes anyone feel less than her. I have been friends with Gabby for several years and being able to play with her and all my team has been a blessing.”
Varsity Coach Paul Chapman has been coaching West Ottawa’s girls basketball team for seven years. He’s proud of how far his team has come this season, and how Reynolds has stepped up as a leader for their team over the years. He said, “I noticed Gabby was different as a middle school student when she attended our summer girls basketball camp. She told me that her goal was to play Division I basketball. As I watched her play over the years, it was her incredible work ethic that has made her into the player she has become today. I feel that she is the top girls high school basketball player in the state of Michigan.”
The Panthers are set to play Tuesday night against the Rockford Rams: they’re playing for a spot in the semifinals. The seniors Reynolds, Overbeek, and Pederson are set to lead the charge, and they’re a force to be reckoned with.
Casey Glass, the Hudsonville girl’s basketball coach, is equally as impressed with Reynolds as her own coaches. “Gabby is a talent that comes around only once in a great while. She is not only a great player on the court but is also a great person off the court. She is constantly working on her game and over the last four years has improved in all aspects of her game. A girl every coach would love to have on their team.”
The team has accomplished a great deal this season, and West Ottawa should make it their top priority to cheer on our Panther girls this week. Many congratulations are in order.
