Michael Truax sits between parents Lee and Lisa Truax, with Bryan Men's Basketball coach Don Rekoske standing for the signing ceremony.(Photo:GaryBolden)

Rhea County Senior Truax will play basketball at Bryan, study Health Science

Michael Truax, recently signed with Bryan College and will be a part of the Bryan basketball team. In attendance were family, friends and teamates as well as Bryan Men's basketball coach Don Rekoske. Don has over 400 combined wins during his 35 years of coaching. Michael is the son of Lee and Lisa Truax. He is the youngest of 7 kids, with 5 older brothers and 1 sister.

Michael played basketball at Rhea County High School basketball team for the last two years. Before that, he played at Rhea County Academy for the 8th - 10th grade years. He got his first taste of basketball playing with Upwards Program at a young age.

Coach Rekoske said, "I am excited to see Micahael continue his basketball career at Bryan. He has great physical tools and brings energy to the court. He plays hard on defense and has a good wingspan."

Michael's high school coach Brien Crowder said, "Mike is a good kid, who is very athletic. I think his best basketball is yet to come."

Michael was kind enough to answer a few interview questions.

Talk about your earliest memories in basketball.

"My earliest memories of playing Basketball was shooting hoops in front of our house with my older siblings. My first teams were through the Upwards Program in Dayton at a young age. My coach, Jim Poole, and June fondly remember my buying pickles with my memory verses money each week, while the other kids always bought candy. From there I moved on to play at RCA and RCHS."

What will be your academic field of study at Bryan?

"I will be studying Exercise Health Science at Bryan College with the goal of being a Physical Therapist.
That is in part, due to the care of my Physical Therapist, Amanda, here in town, who has helped me so much and has encouraged me within the past year."

Why did you choose to attend Bryan and play basketball at the next level?

"I chose Bryan because some of my siblings have gone there, it is closer to home, and Coach Rekoske sought me out to continue my basketball career there—which was the biggest factor; I was most wanted by that program."

Talk about the hopeful maturation of your game in college?

"At college, I want to focus on making the game easier for my teammates, chasing rebounds, making extra passes…things like that. I think that the biggest factor towards making that possible would be just to add strength and get into the best shape possible. The game will be quicker, so being able to play on “autopilot” would improve my game tremendously."

What would you say in your best basketball skill?

My best basketball skill is my athleticism and quickness. It has always been vital to my game, but I think my passing abilities and ability to attack the lane, creating opportunities for my teammates is my strongest attribute on the court. My mom has always said, " you got hops.""

What are some of the activities you participate in outside of school and school sports?

"Sports have taken up the majority of my time through my high school years, (including workouts at RC3, with Roy Pankey, a basketball mentor, who has helped improve my game. I also help out at RC3, and AAU basketball. I also enjoy cars, hanging out with friends (whatever the activity is), futsol, and staying active in my faith. I enjoy my church activities with youth groups, retreats, VBS, and community service. My most recent mission trip was to Puerto Rico with New Union Baptist Church. I found the trip to be a real blessing to my life as well as helping out those in Puerto Rico."

What advice would you give to a young person, just beginning the journey you have taken through high school?

"My advice for an athlete beginning in sports would be: work hard, don’t be afraid of failure as it is unavoidable, Don’t let your story end in failure though. Use it to grow and learn! Every failure is an opportunity for improvement. Love what you do and realize that it is a blessing. Through elementary school and high school, I have played soccer and basketball. Each of these sports has a special meaning to me as I’ve grown so much through them and met so many important people as a result. It was a hard decision to give up one in college, but my passion for basketball has never left me."