Mya Spencer has earned her respect in a game called life

EPHRATA — If public speaking were an athletic event, Ephrata junior Mya Spencer couldn’t get out of her own way.

She’s quiet, quick with a smile and a friend’s friend, but don’t expect her to take over for Deion Sanders on the NFL Network anytime soon.

But the Tiger three-sport standout has earned her respect. On the soccer field, Spencer was an all-CWAC first-team selection, improving from a second-team selection as a sophomore.

On the wrestling mat, Spencer was the Central Washington Girls Wrestling League wrestler of the year and the 2A state runner-up at 125 pounds. During the year she wrestled four-time state champion Cameron Guerin (126-0) of Davis, who recently signed a one-year commitment with the residency program at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., twice, including for the 125-pound state championship.

On the track, she’s smooth as silk. She won the 100-, 200- and 400-meter races at the Quincy Invite this year, coming off qualifing for state in 2017.

In the competitive arena, she is fierce, competitive, willing to put in the work to get to where she wants to be. Of the field, she’s quiet, respectful, courteous, just another hard-working kid from Ephrata.

So, who is Mya Spencer, really?

She might not be too vocal, but her friends and coaches are more than willing to speak on her behalf.

“She’s sneaky funny,” said Tiger midfielder Katelyn Ostrowski, who was all-CWAC honorable mention this year. “You have to watch out. She might be all deadpan and everything, then she’ll say something that will have you in stitches.”

Ephrata wrestling coach PJ Anderson said she might have the competitive fire in the circle, but he enjoys the young woman even more.

“She doesn’t expect anymore than she’s willing to go out and fight for and that’s what separates her from the rest,” Anderson said. “As great of a wrestler as she is, I think she’s even a better kid.”

Said McCall DeChenne, who is the defending 2A state 100-meter hurdle champion, “She actually talks a lot,” she said. “She’s quiet and kind of reserved, but she’s funny.”

Three-sport athletes are a dying breed in an athletic environment calling for specialization. But both Spencer and Ostrowski enjoy all competitive arenas. Spencer plays soccer, wrestles, and runs track. Ostrowski plays soccer, basketball and participates in the field events in track, so she knows what it takes to excel in all arenas.

“On the soccer field, Mya got out of her shell a little bit. She really knows what’s going on out there and where to be and that’s why she’s so good,” Ostrowski said. “She’s extremely fast, especially on the soccer field. We work a lot with each other with her being a forward and I’m a mid. She’ll say ‘two’ and run through there like it’s open or call for the ball and put her hand out where she wants you to kick it.”

Spencer is a fierce competitor on the soccer field, but on the wrestling mat? Well, let’s just say daddy’s little girl can kick butt too.

“She’s about being a wrestler and not so much looking like a wrestler. She’s not wrapped up in ‘I need everybody’s respect’ or ‘I need attention.’ It’s just her go-time when the whistle blows,” Anderson said. “She wrestled for the boys team one match against Quincy this year. With girls wrestling, the top-end is very solid, but there’s a drop off with the girls that are just starting. So we wanted to get her some strong competition where she had to push herself. We wanted to put her in the fire and she enjoyed the challenge.”

DeChenne really appreciates her training partner on the track.

“She’s at 100-percent effort whether we’re training or at a meet,” DeChenne said. “We train together and every run she goes hard. I’m very grateful to have her because of her work ethic. I think it’s her dedication to being the best and she brings that to everything she does.

“It’s like, if I’m going to run the 100 meters, I’m going to win. If I’m going to play soccer, I’m going to score the goal.”

Mya Spencer knows when it's go-time because she’s always on the go. But she has also earned her respect in a game called life.