I often relate wrestling to art, in which excellence in wrestling is not dependent on a specific mastery of techniques, but rather the mastery and construction of your own unique style. Those who watch me wrestle would tell you that I am as artistic on the mat as I am on paper. Wrestling has benefitted my creative journey in countless ways, and I would like to share for a second what my involvement in this sport has done in making me a more ambitious and hardworking individual.
Wrestling is much different than most other sports, as the central focus of a wrestling match is often mental toughness. There is something so indescribably euphoric about obtaining mastery over your own mind, and my involvement in wrestling has helped me approach this utopian place within my own mind that leads me ready and optimistic for any challenge I might face in life.
As previously mentioned, there is something especially creative about martial arts as compared to other sports, in which you are able to essentially invent yourself and how you approach the sport. Personally, my style is much more unorthodox than the typical wrestler, using a combination of flexibility and balance to defend most attacks from my opponents. I think Creative Writing and wrestling are alike in this way, where I am constantly assessing what makes me used as both a writer and a wrestler, and utilizing my strengths to excel at what I do, while honing in on the weaker aspects of my art in order to improve.
My current resumé as a wrestler includes:
High School:
2019-2020 IHSAA State Qualifier
2019-2020 High School Wrestling MVP
2018-2019 High School Wrestling Most Takedowns Award
2019-2020 High School Wrestling Most Takedowns Award
College:
Current 157 lb starter for Wabash College
2021-2022 NWCA Scholar-All American