Antonio Ortega ‘19 Recruiting Profile

Personal Statement

My purpose was discovered early in my life. Little did I know that a major injury would direct me towards my dream.  It started when I was in first grade when I joined wrestling. I enjoyed it. It was independent and it was something I was eventually progressing in. After that year it was stopped in my school.  In fifth grade I found another team to join and immediately found myself loving the sport again. Then came my first tournament. It was my second match and I was in the lead. Within the blink of an eye, I saw myself falling and my elbow pop out of its socket. It was a rough point in my life. Recovery was long and painful. Instead of practicing for wrestling I was spending time trying to get better. After I finally recovered I didn’t find myself wrestling again until 2 years later.

Seventh grade arrives and wrestling season returns. A week into practice my mom pulls me out, because she feared I would injure myself again. People called me a quitter and a loser. Not only could I not wrestle but I was getting hassled about it, regardless that it was not my decision. Fortunately I convinced my mom to let me go to practice at another high school to stay in shape. Finally eighth grade arrives. By the time the season rolls around I am getting straight A’s in all my classes and think I deserve to wrestle. After a week I finally convince my mom to let me join the team. Now I am actually here.

After all these years with the injury and the negativity surrounding me I felt like this was the first time I faced adversity. It wasn’t over yet though. With wrestling came dieting and discipline. I found myself growing more and more as a person. Physically, yes, but also mentally. Priorities became clear and I new what I was working for. This is when I realized I was going to do something with my life. Unfortunately, I didn’t excel fast in the sport. I found myself losing matches more than winning. I new if I hadn't lost all of those years of experience do to injury things might be different. Now at an older age I realize had I been better at the sport I would have found myself with less of a work ethic. After eighth grade season was over, I continued to go to practice at the highschool.

Practice was going great and again I found myself excelling more and more, until we discovered that I was not zoned for the highschool and was forced to leave the team. Now for a second time wrestling was taken away from me. I did what I could to keep up. I got an interzone transfer but it wouldn't be effective until next year. Until then I went to a different high school to attend practice. It wasn't the same but eventually I found myself back on my old team.

As the years went on I always found myself a step behind others. This challenged me to work harder, put in more time, and keep up with some of the bigger better people. This not only showed in wrestling but in everything else in my life. I realized that school isn’t just something I have to do but something I am privileged to do. I wasn't just there to be there but I was curious about what we were learning. To this day I want to push my horizon and expand in everything I do. A major goal that I have learned from wrestling is that if I can improve at least one thing about me, big or small, than I am headed in the right direction. This has reflected strongly in wrestling. My passion and dedication has pushed me past my limits and steps closer to my next goal, wrestling in college. Taking a national title has become my next step in becoming an Olympic wrestler. My life revolves around becoming a champion in every level I can and continuously pushing myself to be the best.

Without wrestling in my life I feel I become disorganized. Without a reason and a goal to work towards my life loses meaning. My life's decisions revolve around wrestling. It defines what I eat, when I go to sleep, or how hard I work. This is the life I chose to live and it's the one I love the most, regardless of if others agree or not. I've learned that I have to do what I don't want to do in order to do what I want to do. But for me everything about this process is a blessing. I enjoy the work as much as the result and with this attitude I believe I can accomplish big things.