Antoine Glasgow Jr. '25 Recruiting Profile

I will always remember my eighth grade finals match in the state championship, but not for the reason you might expect. I scored the first takedown, then went straight to work on top. In my excitement, I got distracted and started thinking about how it would feel to stand on top of the podium as the State Champ. With my mind on the podium, I rushed a cradle in an attempt to win quickly. As I rolled through the cradle, an intense pain shot through my left shoulder, and I knew instantly that I had screwed up. A few days later, I was sitting in a doctor's office learning that I had torn my labrum, would need surgery to repair it, and full recovery would take nine months and lots of physical therapy. My injury was a painful experience, but it taught me some important wrestling and life lessons, including the importance of applying the proper technique to all moves, putting in the work, and walking by faith. 

In my eagerness to win the match, I rushed the cradle and did not execute it properly. Candidly, I had gotten away with rushing the cradle before, and it's something my coach had called me out on and encouraged me to correct. Unfortunately, I had to learn the important lesson of always applying the proper technique the hard way. However, because it was such a hard learned lesson, it stuck with me. Since recovering from my injury, I have worked with coaches to strengthen my cradle technique, and I never rush or force the move if it's not there. Over the years, I've realized that haphazardly rushing through things and sacrificing technique for speed can also create a mess off the mat. So, I also do my best to invest the time that's needed to complete tasks the right way at school and at home.  

The second lesson I learned through my injury is the importance of putting in the work. Disappointed by the big loss and my injury, I was initially pessimistic about my wrestling future. However, the doctors assured me that I would fully recover if I worked hard in physical therapy and subsequent training. So, I took one physical therapy session at a time. It was painful and exhausting, but with each bit of work I put in, my body got a little stronger. This lesson also holds true off the mat– when I put in the work to study, I earn good grades.

     The most important lesson that my injury drove home for me is to always trust God and walk by faith. During my recovery, I prayed for physical strength, mental toughness, and  the courage to step back on the mat once I was healed. Things didn't always go exactly as I wanted when I wanted them to, but God guided me through the process every step of the way. Just as God guided me through my recovery, I know He will bring me through other challenges in life.

My eighth grade finals match at the state championship was a game changer for me because my injury and loss taught me very important wrestling and life lessons– do things the right way, work hard, and trust God. Fueled by these lessons, I was back on the mat by the second semester of my Freshman year, and I qualified for state. With more discipline, hard work, and faith, I finished my Sophomore year as the county champ and state runner up. I don't claim to have mastered these lessons, but I will keep working to apply them on and off the mat, and this year, I'll bring home the gold.