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As the Aurora Wrestling team’s season comes to a close, one notable wrestler deserves some recognition--John Green.
John, a junior at Aurora, has been wrestling since he was 5, adding up to about 12 years overall. He has had a lot of success in the sport, winning top 5 in the State Tournament since 6th grade.
“For junior year, the goal is to win it,” John smiles. The State Tournament for 2024 is March 10th-12th, so give him some good luck then!
Beyond tournaments, John's hard work and dedication is taking him even further, all the way to West Point Academy in New York--a military academy accepting only 10.7% of applicants.
The commitment process is quite an extensive one, as John explained.
“I took my unofficial visit [to West Point] in September. Everything was really beautiful--good campus, good education, good support. After taking it all in, I talked to my dad about it. We knew this was an opportunity I was never going to get again. So, I took it.”
Many schools had an interest in John, so his choice of West Point came from a plethora of things.
Among the noted staff, support, and team, John says, “When I got to the school, I could feel a presence that I was supposed to be there, something I never felt with other visits.”
Being such an exceptional wrestler takes more than just skill; it takes inspiration and motivation. Regarding his inspiration, John accredits his father.
“He was a wrestler, so he had knowledge he instilled into me. He always advocated for me to get better. Also, the money and time he put into it for me to be successful is something I’m grateful for.”
In his 12 years, John has also had to find an abundance of motivation.
“Any day that goes by that I don’t get better feels like a waste of a day,” John explains. This mindset has clearly produced a lot of success.
John’s talents aren’t only limited to the mats; his future is incredibly bright. After his undergrad at West Point, John will be serving 5 years of active duty, in what he hopes is infantry. As of right now, he is thinking of taking a pre-law route, possibly majoring in legal sciences or political science.
“I’m lucky to have the chance to use wrestling to my advantage for college, so I’m going to use that opportunity in the best way possible.”
John is an incredibly talented, yet humble individual with a successful career ahead of him in both wrestling and his education. Congratulations, John, and good luck!
Written by Ava McGovern
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