Ocoee High bowling state qualifier, drum major enjoying memorable senior year -- Observer Preps

OCOEE Wanya Mitchell is having one memorable fall.

The senior at Ocoee High is a drum major for the school’s band. In that role, he and the band have — in the past few weeks — had the opportunity to play for President Barack Obama at a political rally at UCF, and to celebrate into the night with the football team after it won its first district championship.

“I actually lost my voice for several days because we were celebrating so much,” Mitchell said. 

Then, there is Mitchell’s career in his own sport of choice: bowling.

At the District 8 Tournament Oct. 25 in Winter Park, Mitchell qualified for his second state tournament as an individual, topping the next closest finisher by one stroke. After making state as a sophomore before coming short as a junior (Mitchell missed the cut by 20 strokes in 2015), the senior for the Knights said he had to improve his game above his shoulders for 2016.

“I would let frames take me out of my game — a couple mess-ups would change my perspective,” Mitchell said. “This year, even though I made some mistakes, I bounced back.”

That the thick of the calendar for the Ocoee High Marching Band and the varsity season for bowling both occur during the fall months has presented a different kind of a challenge.

“It’s very hectic; I had to learn how to balance my schedule,” he said. 

On most days, he runs from bowling practice, which starts at 3 p.m., back to the school for band practice at 5 p.m. 

“And then I still have to go home and do homework — do it all over again,” he said. “Once you get used to it, it’s a muscle-memory kind of thing.”

That ability to balance his workload and be successful on the field, in the classroom and as a performer, though, has led Athletic Director Steve McHale to sing Mitchell’s praises.

“If you look at the definition of ‘student-athlete’ in the library, his name would be there,” McHale said. “We’re very fortunate to have somebody who is so well-rounded … as a mentor, especially for younger students.”

Despite his success as a bowler, Mitchell considers his time under the direction of Bernie Hendricks in the Ocoee band as the most valuable thing he has done as a high schooler.

“Music has taught me a lot about myself. … I really do value and appreciate the music program here,” Mitchell said. “I didn’t realize how much I love teaching until I became a field commander.”

The band has, in several ways, doubled as the No. 1 fan for the Ocoee football team as it marched its way to a district title. The band has joined the Knights (6-3) on road games, including a sparsely attended make-up game on a Saturday, and it isn’t a stretch to say the energy it produces has made an impact on the field.

“I think the football team feeds off of us just as much as we feed off of them,” Mitchell said. “We’ve been to several games where the other team’s band didn’t go and our team is blowing them out of the water.”

While school pride has spiked thanks in part to the success of the football team, Mitchell — who also volunteers on a weekly basis at his church — said his own school pride has been longstanding.

“High school is what you make out of it,” Mitchell said. “Me, personally, I love Ocoee High School — because I’m involved.”

As a possible thank you of sorts, Mitchell has his eyes set on medaling in the FHSAA Bowling State Championships Nov. 2 to 3 at Boardwalk Bowl in east Orlando. Although he just barely made the cut to advance to state, he is optimistic he can bowl his best at the big meet.

Even if he were to bring some hardware home to his beloved high school, the standout senior said he already has locked down his favorite high-school memory — when Obama turned to acknowledge the band from Ocoee at the rally Oct. 28, pronouncing the school’s name with an overemphasis on the “e.”

“That’s definitely No. 1,” Mitchell said with a smile. “That has to be No. 1.”

Contact Steven Ryzewski at [email protected].