HOW DID YOU GET INTO WRESTLING?
I guess you could say it was totally random and on a whim (laughs). I was in 7th grade, and in gym class my friends and I tried wrestling. I was the only one of my friends that actually stuck with it though, they all moved on to other stuff.
COOL. SO WHEN DID YOU START WRESTLING COMPETITIVELY?
I started in 7th grade, pretty much right after I tried it in gym class.
HOW DID YOUR FIRST FEW MATCHES GO?
(laughs) Terrible! I got pinned every single time!
HOW DID YOU GO FROM A COMPLETE NOVICE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL TO THE ACCOMPLISHED WRESTLER YOU ARE NOW?
I put my heart and soul into becoming the best wrestler I can be. It took tons and tons of hard work and long hours of practice. It was an extremely tough sport to learn and required a lot of dedication and sacrifi ce. But like everything else in life, you only get as much as you put in.
ARE THERE PARTS OF WRESTLING THAT CAME NATURALLY?
I guess for some people, the skills come naturally but that wasn’t the case for me (laughs). Nothing was innate for me. Every aspect had to be learned through practice and repetition.
TELL ME ABOUT A TYPICAL DAY IN YOUR LIFE AS WRESTLER.
Well it’s a huge time commitment and pretty much takes over my entire life, ha ha. The team at Riverdale practices everyday after school from 4 to 6 PM and then we have meets every weekend. Sometimes if we’re lucky, though, the meets are only on Saturday and we get Sundays off (laughs).
DO YOU SEE YOURSELF COMPETING IN COLLEGE?
I highly doubt it. I think after I fi nish high school, I’m not going to subject myself to the rigors of competitive wrestling. I mean, I love the sport but it’s so intense that my whole life since 7th grade has been devoted to wrestling.
HOW DOES YOUR DEVOTION TO WRESTLING EXTEND OUTSIDE OF THE RING?
Well, weight is extremely important in wrestling, and I have to constantly be thinking about my body and eating right.
DO YOU CAREFULLY THINK ABOUT EVERY PIECE OF FOOD YOU PUT IN YOUR BODY? Of course! I have to weigh 140 pounds. There are no exceptions. I’m thinking about food pretty much all the time.
WHAT’S GOING THROUGH YOUR HEAD AS SOON AS A MATCH BEGINS?
(pauses) It’s really diffi cult to describe in words.
Once I’m in a match, my mind goes into a totally different zone. All of a sudden, I go into a zone where nothing else matters except defeating my opponent.ARE THERE ANY PRE-MATCH RITUALS YOU PERFORM TO HELP GET YOU INTO YOUR ZONE?
I guess I just try to amp myself up as much as possible. I bounce around a lot (pauses). I smack my headgear to get my mind focused and it really psyches me up. I love listening to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club before I compete. It gets me really amped up.
IN WRESTLING, SOME RELY MORE ON TECHNIQUE, SOME MORE ON MUSCLE. WHAT’S YOUR STYLE?
I’m much more focused on technique. If you hadn’t noticed, I’m not a huge guy! (laughs). I mean, I’m never stronger than my opponents and I’m defi nitely never going to overpower them with sheer strength. I’m more in the middle between strength and technique, I do both well. The best wrestlers have to combine both ends of the spectrum because each style has its pros and cons.
DO YOU ALTER YOUR APPROACH BASED ON YOUR COMPETITOR?
You just have to be as versatile and unpredictable as possible. (pauses). But you know, I think the biggest factor in a match is the mental toughness of the wrestler. People may think that wrestling is a strictly physical sport where the strongest guy always wins, but that’s not true. I think the deciding factor comes down to confi dence. I think that the more effort you put into your training, the more confi dent you will be in the ring. Knowing that you’ve poured your heart into practice and training can be a huge inspiration when you’re in a pin situation.
WOW, THAT’S REALLY IMPRESSIVE. SO AFTER ALL THE HARD WORK AND STRUGGLE, WHAT IS IT ABOUT WRESTLING THAT KEEPS BRINGING YOU BACK FOR MORE?
It’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Once you’re in the ring, the intensity is incredible. Nothing else can compare.
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Joe DeJonge
Senior Riverdale Country School Weight class: 140-142
