HHS sophomore, Jaylin Woods is making a name for himself on the wrestling team, proving that hard work and determination pays off. Balancing school, training, and his competition, he’s already eyeing a state championship later this week.
Woods’ wrestling journey started during his eighth grade year when his teacher recommended that he should give wrestling a try.
“My social studies teacher, Mr Adreon, got me into it, and that’s when I really started to love wrestling,” Woods said.
With his coach recognising his dedication and growth towards the sport, Woods is proving that his hard work is paying off.
“Jaylin is a hard worker,” Head Coach Ryan Keith said. “He is starting to understand many of the little things about wrestling which I think will help him make it to the next level.”
Wrestling can be a difficult sport for many different reasons. Woods thinks that the hardest part of wrestling is the conditioning.
“The hardest part about wrestling in my opinion is the conditioning we have to do,” he said. “You’d think that wrestling doesn’t need much conditioning, but to really get in shape and actually do good in matches, you need a lot of conditioning.”
“We do a lot of running in wrestling to get in good shape and to get faster in actual matches,” Woods added.
However this isn’t the only challenge that Jaylin thinks is difficult. Woods is in the heavyweight class in wrestling, and he thinks that it is much more challenging than being in a lightweight class, but he knows how to overcome that.
“I think that because I wrestle in a heavy weight class, it is much harder. But to overcome it you have to be faster and I think that I am much faster than my opponents,” Woods said.
When Woods was new to wrestling and his teammates, he made good friends with an upperclassman who would help him through his struggles and show him new things.
“The person that really helped me and was there for me when I first joined wrestling is Damian [Milner] (12),” Woods said. “He’d show me how to do certain moves and skills when I was starting out.”
Milner has now become Woods’ all time wrestling sparring partner.
“Anytime we need a partner for something we have to do in training, I know who I go for,” Woods said.
Some people have different opinions on what the most fun part is about wrestling. Maybe it’s training, having a good time and making friends, and obviously, the matches. Woods thinks that competing in matches is the best part about the sport.
”The most fun part in my opinion is going and competing in matches versus other people,” Woods said.
However, the time leading up to the match can be stressful and cause the athlete to be nervous. There are many techniques people use to calm themselves down before the match and feel more confident.
“To be less nervous before a match starts, I think to myself that I am a better man and I will show them how I’m better,” Woods said.
It can also be hard and stressful for the athlete to stay motivated throughout the long season because of many reasons. Each person is different and each has their own way to get back up and keep going.
”What motivates me in wrestling, and to always try my best and to keep going is my drive to win and compete,” Woods said.
Overall, Jaylin Woods is a strong athlete both physically and mentally. He knows how to keep himself going, and how to help his teammates and himself improve and get better.
“As a person, I can see that he cares about the team and seeing them be successful,” Coach Keith said. “In wrestling, while it is an individual sport, you can only get as good as your practice partner. He understands that if we all get better, that will help each wrestler get better.”
Woods is one of three HHS wrestlers who qualified for the Missouri State wrestling championships this year. He ended his regular season with the record of 35-14 just as a sophomore, compared to last year’s record, which was 21-11.
