1. We have watched you wrestle since a very young age, when did you start wrestling? How many years have you been involved? How and when were you introduced to wrestling?
This is kind of a funny story. I started wrestling when I was 8, but I quit because my dad wouldn’t let me go to any tournaments. The rule in our house is you don’t quit anything,
you finish what you start no matter what. The next year I asked to go out for wrestling again and my mom said no but my dad said I could.
My dad told me later that he thought if he took me to some tournaments that I would get my butt kicked and I wouldn’t like it anymore.
I have been involved in wrestling ever since. My dad was a wrestler and he knew that it was a tough sport and it takes a lot of dedication and commitment to do well.
I was actually first introduced to wrestling when a flyer came out at school and one of the parents that helped with the junior olympic program approached me.
2. Who are some of the people that helped you achieve your goals so far?
There are so many people that helped me achieve my goals over the years there are to many to name. I guess mostly, my dad, mom, sister, Aaron Wright, and my papa and nana, and God.
3. Do you see yourself as a coach someday?
Believe it or not, I do not. I will always be around the sport and follow it as well; but to be a coach, I don’t think that I will.
4. What have you taken from wrestling that you would pass on to the next generation of wrestlers? Who have become your biggest influences on and off the mat?
The thing that I have learned the most and will pass on from wrestling is dedication, commitment and determination.
These three things are a big part of this sport and to do well or go far you will have to have these three things in life.
My biggest influence off the mat would have to be my dad. I look up to him and ask him for advice.
5. What are your future plans for college, and do they include wrestling? Among your accomplishments, which one stands out as the most memorable?
Well, since I am only a sophomore, I don’t know what my college plans are but I do plan to wrestle in college for 4 years.
My major, however, is still undecided. Among my accomplishments the one that stands out the most for me is Fargo . It was a big win for me when I won the national title.
6. How has wrestling made an impact on you overall as a person?
I believe wrestling has helped me through school. I like the saying “once you have wrestled everything else is easy.”
7. What are your wrestling goals for this year?
I would like to have an undefeated season and be a state champ.
8. You have had a successful career, but you have not obtained your goal of a State Championship?.
How important is it for you to make it to become a state champion? What do you attribute your success to?
It would be an amazing accomplishment to be a state champion this year. I know it takes a lot of hard work but I am willing to do it.
I attribute my success to my family for taking me everywhere and supporting me 100%.
(Currently, ranked #1 )We know your a worker did you expect a career as successful as yours has been?
Do you do any extra personal training on your own and if so what does it consist of?
No, I did not think I was going to have this successful of a career. I went out for wrestling just because my friends went out and I stuck with it and now here I am.
The only thing extra I do, and I’m sure tons of other people do it, is run and lift.
9. I know you are also a successful student. Do you feel being successful in the classroom translates to success on the mat?
I know that if I don’t work hard in the classroom that I will not do very good on the mat.
As a matter fact, I know I won’t be on the mat because my parents make sure my grades come first.
So, I guess you could say that dedication is dedication, whether it is on the mat or in the classroom.
10. What other interests and activities do you have away from the mat and why you enjoy them?
I love to play football and love to go hunting with my grandpa.
I enjoy each one of these things just because it gets you away from everything and you can relax and have a ton of fun.
11. After you reached your advanced level of wrestling, have you found it hard to maintain that level of expectations throughout the years?
Yes, I find it very hard sometimes to keep up the intensity in practice and keep up with the high expectations that people have put on me.
But, I know in the end it will all be worth it.
12. What are your general thoughts before, during, and after a "tough" match?
Before a tough match I just like to think what might go on in the match and picture myself winning.
While the match is going on nothing goes through my head, it’s just all natural and instinct out there, and after the match, well, that will depend on if I win or loose ha-ha.
But my dad will tell me what I did wrong and need to improve on.
13. How has the leadership role that you have taken on benefit your team?
I try to set a good example on and off the mat and try to work hard at everything I do so my teammates will do the same.
14. What two matches are the most memorable ...one loss and one win matches?
The one loss would have to be in the Fargo finals when I got pinned in like 43 seconds.
But the most memorable would have to be when I knew that I was going to place at states as a freshman. That was pretty exciting!
15. What are your future plans for college? if so: study of interest?
Yes, I plan to go to college but since I’m only a sophomore I don’t know where I will end up and I don’t know what I’m going to major in.
16. What does your diet consist of during the season?
Well, when I was making 152 flat weight it was a pretty strict diet just because I had a month full of tournaments and had to make weight a lot that month.
But now, since it is 154, it is a little easier just because of the 2 pounds and not having so many matches back to back.
17. Are there any rules you would like to see changed and if so what?
I would maybe like to see less weight classes in the line up just because the smaller schools would be able to fill the line up better.
18. Who in your opinion is the greatest wrestler from D9, PA State High School, College and International Levels?
This is a tough question but for D9 - I would have to go with the home town hero Tom Storey.
The PA Sate High School wrestler, there would be no doubt that Carry Kolat would be my pick. For the College and international levels it would have to be Cael Sanderson.
19. What are your wrestling goals this year and future years?
I would like to win a State Championship this year and would like to add on to that in my future years, maybe 2 more State Titles.
20. Is there anyone at this time you would like to give thanks to?
I would like to give a thanks to my family, my coaches for helping me out whenever I need it, and to Aaron Wright for all the time he has spent with me to help me succeed. I would also like to thank the many sponsors and supporters that have contributed to my success. THANK YOU ALL!!
Derek Brothers Curwensville
FOCUS ON THE WRESTLER QUESTIONS please do not be modest
1. We have watched you wrestle since a very young age, when did you start wrestling? How many years have you been involved? How and when were you introduced to wrestling?
1st grade. wrestling for 10 years. my dad introduced me into the sport.
2. Who are some of the people that helped you achieve your goals so far? family @ friends.
3. Do you see yourself as a coach someday? maybe as a assistant someday
4. What have you taken from wrestling that you would pass on to the next generation of wrestlers?
Who have become your biggest influences on and off the mat? practice makes perfection. the sipes, butch nelson, ( who were my coaches in the begining of my wrestling)
family and friends.
5. What are your future plans for college, and do they include wrestling?
Among your accomplishments, which one stands out as the most memorable?
not sure what I want to take up in college as of yet.- winning a regional title last year and placing 8th at states.
6. How has wrestling made an impact on your overall person?
I've just tried to be a good person since alot of eyes are on me. one bad thing and you could lose alot if not everything that you have worked so hard to achieve.
7. What are your wrestling goals for this year? well I would like to win a district title this year, repeat as nw regional champ, and place higher than 8th at states.
8. You have had a successful career, but you have not obtained your goal of a State Championship?
How important is it for for you to make it to become a state champion? What do you attribute your success to?
its very inportant to me to try to win one but if it never happens, @ as long as I give it my all and never give up, I suppose I could live with that.- training long and hard hours.
9. I know you are also a successful student. Do you feel being successful in the classroom translates to success on the mat? yes.
10. What other interests and activities do you have away from the mat and why you enjoy them? soccer and baseball.- for the conditioning and competition.
11. After you reached your advanced level of wrestling, have you found it hard to maintain that level of expectations throughout the years?
no, maintaining it isnt hard, the hard thing is to try to take the expecatations that everyone has for you even higher.
12. What are your general thoughts before, during, and after a "tough" match? stay cool-give 100 precent-"boy, glad I'm done with that one"
13. How has the leadership role that you have taken on benefit your team?
I havent really taken the leadership role on the team. ive let it up to the seniors for that but i still try to push eveyone on the team.
14. What two matches are the memorable ...one loss and one win matches? winning regionals and losing for 7th@8th at states
15. What are your future plans for college? if so: study of interest? not sure as of yet.
16. What does your diet consist of during the season? salids@fruit
17. Are there any rules you would like to see changed and if so what? no
18.. Who in your opinion is the greatest wrestler from D9, PA State High School, College and International Levels? no one specific
19. What are your wrestling goals this year and future years? to get to and win states.
20. Is there anyone at this time you would like to give thanks to? I would like to thanks to my dad, family, friends, all my coaches ive had over the past 10 years.
FOCUS ON THE WRESTLER QUESTIONS please do not be modest
1. We have watched you wrestle since a very young age, when did you start wrestling? How many years have you been involved? How and when were you introduced to wrestling?
2. Who are some of the people that helped you achieve your goals so far?
3. Do you see yourself as a coach someday?
4. What have you taken from wrestling that you would pass on to the next generation of wrestlers? Who have become your biggest influences on and off the mat?
5. What are your future plans for college, and do they include wrestling? Among your accomplishments, which one stands out as the most memorable?
6. How has wrestling made an impact on your overall person?
7. What are your wrestling goals for this year?
8. You have had a successful career, but you have not obtained your goal of a State Championship?. How important is it for for you to make it to become a state champion? What do you attribute your success to?
(Currently, ranked #1 )We know your a worker did you expect a career as successful as yours has been?Do you do any extra personal training on you own and if so what does it consist of?
9. I know you are also a successful student. Do you feel being successful in the classroom translates to success on the mat?
10. What other interests and activities do you have away from the mat and why you enjoy them?
11. After you reached your advanced level of wrestling, have you found it hard to maintain that level of expectations throughout the years?
12. What are your general thoughts before, during, and after a "tough" match?
13. How has the leadership role that you have taken on benefit your team?
14. What two matches are the memorable ...one loss and one win matches?
15. What are your future plans for college? if so: study of interest?
16. What does your diet consist of during the season?
17. Are there any rules you would like to see changed and if so what?
18.. Who in your opinion is the greatest wrestler from D9, PA State High School, College and International Levels?
19. What are your wrestling goals this year and future years?
20. Is there anyone at this time you would like to give thanks to?
Sponsors of Crossface Wrestling help with bringing you all aspects of wrestling
Please frequent our sponsors and let them know you appreciate their sponsorship on Crossface Wrestling.net
If interested in being a sponsor for a year contact us at crossface63@yahoo.com