Matthew Wright '17 Recruiting Profile

I have always been an active kid and loved all sports. I have realized a passion for wrestling and soccer. I wanted to play soccer in college and move on to a major league soccer team. However, I didn't feel that I was getting the challenge I was looking for. With my options limited in middle school, I decided to give wrestling a shot. My older brother was a wrestler and kept telling me "Just give it a try, Matt, it'll help keep you conditioned for soccer". So, that's what I did. My first year wrestling in 8th grade, I made the varsity team and nearly went undefeated. My record for my 1st wrestling season was 22-6. Currently, I am a varsity wrestler for our high school team. Freshman year has been tough but I was able to pull out a record of 11-20. With this only being my 2nd year in wrestling, I had a lot of obstacles (and still do) to be better than my opponents. Most of these kids have been wrestling for quite a few years and have had more experience. I embraced that challenge and gave it everything I could. There were quite a few times that coaches and parents from other teams asked me how long I have been wrestling and what grade I am in. They are usually astounded that this is season 2 and am a freshman. It feels great to be recognized as someone with a lot of potential. Knowing that there are people watching me gives me a little bit more self-drive and confidence to do my best. My ultimate goal for high school wrestling is to become a state champion. I want to be the best and am very motivated. I understand the only way to be the best is to work hard and push my limits. Goal setting and pushing personal limits is my strong suit. I strive to be a leader both on the mat and off. Academically, my goal is to graduate with a 3.0 GPA and attend a college that offers a good academic degree program. Currently, I would like to get a degree in an Athletic Training program. Participating in sports during high school and college is motivation to keep my grades up. I am excited to continue growing as a wrestler and as a high school student and look forward to what my future has in store for me.