Peter Charnley '21 Recruiting Profile

My name is Peter Charnley, and I am currently a 5’8” student-athlete weighing about 150 pounds.  I will be graduating high school in the Spring of 2021 from  Concord Carlisle High School in Massachusetts. Everywhere I go I am looked to as a leader and that derives from my work ethic. My motto which I take from Ronda Rousey, a role model of mine, is "to be the best, you have to beat the best on your worst day." That is something I take to heart because in this sport anyone can win, it is a toss-up of who wants it more. 

Growing up, I never really had any interest in conventional sports. I could be found in the gym doing jiu-jitsu or MMA. This started when I was just a few years old and really shaped me as a person today. I am forever grateful for my experience and dedicated family in combat sports. I was introduced to wrestling going into middle school after being dragged to a practice one day because "I would probably like it." To be honest, I really did, but pre-teen Peter decided that I was going to be stubborn and not admit I felt a calling. I went back half an hour early the next practice so I could scrap with the high school kids. My favorite part of the sport is how you don't need to be a naturally talented person or gifted in any sense. What you get out of the sport is what you put in. Goals in this sport are also very attainable but can be very lofty at the same time. While you may not achieve something that you had hoped to, I can guarantee that you will get something else out of the process. One thing that I have continued to struggle with is composure under pressure and dealing with anxiety. Towards the end of my junior year, I learned to just go out there and have fun. I stripped away all thoughts of being a state champ and in the moment told myself I was going to wrestle to the best of my ability and get better that day. 

After going 18-13 my freshman year and not even placing at sectionals, I knew it was time for a change. I told myself I was going to win the whole thing the very next year. And I did. However; that didn't come at a cheap price. I went to doughboys wrestling club in Lowell but felt hungry for more. I was lifting five days a week and on top of club wrestling, I got beat up the entire summer by another coach, a good family friend who really got me into wrestling. Three days a week I would get driven to his house and I was wrestling kids who were competing for a state championship and getting tossed around by kids I had no business training with. Each practice I would be bruised head to toe but I came back every time and by the end of the summer I was ready. I went out there that winter and won myself my first sectional title. I have never been afraid of hard work and one of my most prominent traits is my grit. Eventually, I wanted to see something new in the sport and I  joined Metrowest United two days after finishing my junior year at New Englands. I was instantaneously even more in love with the sport and practiced immediately. 

As a student, I didn't always bring the same fire and passion into my learning. As an underclassman, I didn't take my education seriously enough and it cost me. One of my biggest regrets in high school is that I didn't put 100% effort in for all four years. I made up for that however in my junior year with consistent A's and B's, maintaining a 3.8 GPA throughout the year. After taking a history, English, and psychology-based course, I truly accepted that I liked to learn and realized that I could go just as far academically as I could with wrestling. It was not going to be easy but I knew that after overcoming myself, I could do anything. 

I want to wrestle in college because there is only so much time that I get to spend on the mats as a highschooler. I want to prolong my career as much as possible and make it to the next level. I want to know how much I can take and how far I can go in this sport. Ultimately, my goal is to fight professionally as an aside to a career in law enforcement. As a captain of my team, I have always had values instilled in me of giving back to your community, and that is something that I hope to achieve in college and the future. Being a collegiate wrestler is a huge dream of mine and there is nothing I would rather do for the next four years of my life then enjoy my academics and be a stud wrestler on a fitting team.  

Going forward, I know that with a steady support system, lofty aspirations, and a strong foundation, I have no limits and I've got the work ethic to achieve whatever I set my mind towards in my future. I'm excited for what comes next.