Charleston - Huntington, West Virginia -- WOWK -- 13NewsAthlete of the Week: Earl Reed

The Capital Cougars boy's basketball team is having a tough start to their 2011-2012 season.

The Cougars have dropped three of their first five games, but they have played one of the toughest schedules in the state.

However, the Cougars should not be worried because of their senior captain and this weeks St. Mary's Medical Center Athlete of the Week.

Five months ago, something happened to Capital senior forward Earl Reed while playing basketball that changed his outlook on the game he loves.

"I feel [while playing basketball] and went to the doctors and they said I broke my leg, and I'd be out for 6 weeks," Reed said.

"A few weeks later I got an MRI. They told me I tore my ACL. I was crushed. They told me I would miss my senior year. I'm not going to lie...I cried for a couple of days. It was rough on me."

Luckily for Reed, after four months of tough physical therapy, he was cleared to play in the Cougars' first game on December, 10.

So far, in five games, Reed is averaging about 14 points and 8 rebounds a game.

Capital has seven seniors but head coach Carl Clark picked Reed as his only captain.

With the injury fresh in Reed's mind, he constantly reflects on it and has learned one valuable life lesson.

"It made me realize not to take anything in life for granted," Reed said. "I'm not really happy in happened to me, but I feel this happened because it would make me into a stronger person."