Troy Smith '12 Recruiting Profile

I began wrestling in 3rd grade at the nearby Lynbrook youth wrestling club and immediately took a passion for it. Because I enjoyed it and began to excel at it, my parents were faced with a dilemma. The School District I lived in had no wrestling program which meant when I entered Middle School my wrestling career would be over. My parents, a small group of parents, and myself began urging and negotiating with the Board of Education and School Administration to add wrestling. We had petitions signed and finally convinced the board and administration that if we committed to raise the cost of the first two years of Middle School and the first two years of High School, they would start the programs and then incur the costs in the school budget. It took us two years to raise $120,000 and we did it and when I started Middle School and the 6th grade, we had our wrestling program at Hewlett-Woodmere. Because I was in 6th grade, I was not permitted to wrestle for the Middle School, so I continued to wrestle with Lynbrook and won a Youth County Championships at 90 lbs. I lost very few matches in Middle School and have been very successful through the first three years at Hewlett HS,(all while sustaining a knee injury in my Freshman year and a thumb injury in my Sophomore year, both of which kept me out of the County and State Tournaments. This season, I have taken 1st and two 4th place tournament finishes in tournament action and have won most falls/least time in two events. Overall on the season, I was 38 - 9 with 28 pins through the County Tournament. After I finish my education and wrestling career at Hewlett, I plan on continuing my education at a quality College or University and to be a significant contributor and leader for a wrestling program. I have not narrowed my college choices down too much yet, but I plan on visiting several schools over the next few months. I do plan on being a business or engineering major. I have already visited the University of Maryland and their wrestling program and have wrestled there at their club a few months ago. At 5'11" and 154 lbs now, I plan on capturing the County and State title.  I spend most of my free time water skiing, wakeboarding, fishing, and weightlifting.