Rookie sensation Tyra Reginald’s stellar 37-point performance for the Wolfpack sets a high standard on the hardcourt

Caledon Citizen's Student-Athlete of the Week

By Jim Stewart

Tyra Reginald's basketball coach at Robert F. Hall Catholic Secondary School can only find superlatives to describe the Grade 9 student's work on and off the hardcourt in 2022-23.

Reginald led the Wolfpack to an impressive 7-1 regular season record and Coach Jaelin Kangas believes that the Grade 9 student-athlete “embodies the qualities of leadership, perseverance, and teamwork.”

He describes her as a “natural leader who sets an excellent example for her team by consistently working hard and striving for excellence in everything she does. Tyra always has a positive attitude, which allows her to support and encourage her teammates to do the best that they can. Tyra's ability on the basketball court was just as impressive as her leadership and attitude. No matter the situation, you can always count on Tyra to make an impactful play to help the team win.” 

Coach Kangas is also impressed with his star player's qualities as a student at Robert F. Hall.

“Tyra is a sociable, confident, and hardworking student who excels both academically and socially. She has a natural ability to connect with others, and her sociable nature allows her to build positive relationships with her peers and teachers. Her confidence is evident in her approach to schoolwork, where she approaches challenging tasks with a positive attitude and a determination to succeed. Tyra's hardworking attitude ensures that she consistently performs well in her courses, putting in the time and effort required to achieve at a high level academically.”

The most memorable performance by the first-year high schooler – who aspires to play for the UCLA Bruins after her four years at Hall – was difficult to pin down by Coach Kangas.

“It's hard to choose one key performance for Tyra as she consistently led our team in almost every aspect of every game. The key performance I would choose is when she scored a season-best 37 points in a game and led our team to a victory.”  

Tyra took time from her academic tasks and challenging U19 AAU basketball schedule to answer our questions:

Caledon Citizen:  What qualities did you demonstrate in your sports season to earn Student-Athlete of the Week honors?

Tyra Reginald:  There are many qualities I demonstrated during my basketball season. I was ambitious, hard-working, determined, and I always pushed myself and my teammates to achieve their maximum potential as athletes.  

Caledon Citizen:  What was your key performance moment from the 2022-23 season that you are most proud of?

Tyra Reginald:  My key performance moment of this season was when I beat my all-time scoring record. The most points I scored in a game was 35 and I beat it by 2 by scoring 37 points against St. Mike's. The feeling was unexplainable and the experience motivated me to continue to try to beat my record in order to be the best player I can be. 

Caledon Citizen: In addition to your high school sports team, what other community teams do you play for and at what level?

Tyra Reginald: I am a part of United Elite Women's Basketball and it is a Rep/AAU team where I play U19 level basketball and also travel sometimes. 

Caledon Citizen: How would you describe yourself as a student at Robert F Hall? To which sports teams and clubs do you belong?

Tyra Reginald: I am a very hard-working and athletic student. I love playing sports, but I know in order to do that, I need to maintain a certain average. I am responsible and I always put my best effort in everything I do, even when it can be stressful or challenging. 

Caledon Citizen: What are your post-secondary plans regarding prospective academic/athletic destinations?

Tyra Reginald: My post-secondary academic goal is to become a physiotherapist or chiropractor and I want to focus on treating and assisting injured athletes. In addition, I would like to go to UCLA and continue my basketball dreams at a university level. 

Caledon Citizen: Who is your role model in terms of the person you admire the most?

Tyra Reginald: My role models and the people I admire the most are my parents. My mom and dad both have gone through a lot in their life, and their determination to live a successful life has motivated me to do the same. They are always there supporting me and always looking out for me no matter how tired or stressed they are. Furthermore, my parents taught me many valuable lessons that I wish to carry forth and implement into my life in order to achieve my goals and be successful. Other than my parents, a celebrity who has always been my role model is Steph Curry. He has always been my favourite player and someone I look up to. I love his passion, determination, and the way he plays the game of basketball. 

Caledon Citizen:  How do you feel about being nominated as The Caledon Citizen's Student-Athlete of the Week?

Tyra Reginald: I feel very proud and excited to be nominated as the Caledon Citizen student athlete of the week because it is an accomplishment especially for just coming to the school. I am a Grade 9 student and being able to be recognized for the way I play the game of basketball is very exciting.

If you are a community or high school coach who would like to nominate a Caledon-based student-athlete for The Caledon Citizen's Student-Athlete of the Week, please email me at jim@lpcmedia.ca.