Story by Paul Smith

I grew up most of my life being a very competitive football player in South Florida, where it could be considered the only sport that will get youy anywheres in life. My senior year I moved to Georgia and the attitude towards all sports is entirely different. In Florida singlets can be somewhat embarrassing and untasteful, but in Georgia singlets gives everyone the chance to show off the beach body to the whole crowd. Never in my life would I have thought one of those things would ever be on me. Through persuasion and boredom I tried it for the first time November 27, 2012. I think we all know the end of this one. The first few tournaments were quite horrible, not to mention three seperate occasions I lined up across from runner-ups in that years state tournament. As I learned, grew and became very in shape it started to become natural to me. Without thinking I could run a 3/4 Stack or the ever so classic Over-N-Under. That was the biggest thrill winning my first match I felt like all of those WWE wrestlers you grew up watching were chumps now and they'd better watch out.

Along the way I met some of the best people in my life:Coach Tony, Coach Ford, Dru Ford, The Cokers. But the most inspirational to me was a 5th grader named Cameron. To see someone who loved and knew the sport so well at a young age spoke tons about his character and attitude. I learned more about the sport from him than you could imagine.

 I made the state tournament that year by placing second in the 160 pound in my region. The person who claimed first I faced again at state and he came out on top again. Sitting on the edge of that mat everything from the past few months flashes through and you cant help but choke up a little and dwell on the fact that its all over. I would do anything to go back and experience those few months again.

Now I'm a Hospital Corpsman in The United States Navy. I am stationed at Fort Belvoir, VA and every other day I do a couple of Sit-outs and wrestle a ghost on occasion. If there was a reason to keep wrestling in the olympics it would be to give people like Cameron hope and dreams for the future. That same passion is shared by all wrestlers high school and college, professional and amateur. I'd say it was the sole thing that changed me the most in life. I love it along with everyone that taught me how to do it.