Pauline Black-Harmon has a few people that have helped her become not only the athlete, but also the person, she is today.
“Some of my role models are coach Doug, Evan Alexander, and Dakota Wahkinney,” she said. “These three see the best in me and they are a big reason why I keep pushing myself.”
Pauline is a junior at El Reno High School, where she plays power forward for the basketball team. Basketball is a sport that she loves to play but Harmon did not just obtain her abilities overnight. She has invested a lot of time and effort into developing into the player she is.
“It has taken many hours of hard work and commitment to become a successful athlete,” she said. “Seeing other people looking up to me has helped keep me motivated and continuing to work to get better.”
Jennifer Douglas is the head coach of the Lady Indians basketball team. She said that Pauline is a team player and always gives her best when she is on the court.
“Pauline was the lone returning starter from the 2022 state runner-up team,” the coach said. “This year a lot more was expected from her, offensively and defensively. Not to mention learning how to become a leader on and off the court. She had times of struggle this year because it was different than the last two at El Reno. She was playing without her older sister Janae and she was playing without two senior leaders that helped her develop over the years. However, she persevered, worked harder, and came out stronger than she expected.”
“This summer we talked about her getting better individually but also helping the younger ones develop as well, so they can give more to the team whenever their number is called,” Douglas continued. “She is a great student in the classroom and one heck of an athlete. I can’t wait to see all the things she accomplishes in high school, college, and life. A lot of people don’t know about Pauline because she doesn’t post herself all over social media. However, she is a hidden gem. Over her three-year career, she has recorded 719 total points, 557 total rebounds, and 18 total double-doubles.”
Wearing the El Reno uniform gives Harmon the opportunity to be a representative of not just the school, but also the community.
“As an athlete at El Reno, I want to create history, do things that no one has done before, and add my name to the record books,” she said.
