Athlete of the Week: June 29

Grayson Sutton, Berrien Springs High School, 10th Grade

What do you enjoy most about wrestling? What I enjoy most about wrestling is being able to be free with your emotions and your mind while you’re training or when you’re in a match.

What has been your biggest challenge when wrestling, and how have you overcome it? My biggest challenge with wrestling is that people have been wrestling their whole life and training on the mats every day, but I have only wrestled for 4 years. So my biggest challenge is getting all of the mat time that I can get.

How do you prepare mentally before a match, or do you have a pre-match routine? Before a match, I usually just take a few deep breaths and try to picture myself doing my best moves. I try not to overthink things and clear my head. I also like to warm up a little, so I feel ready and confident when I step on the mat.

What's one thing your teammates would say about you? My teammates would say that I bring joy to wrestling. Some people may think that wrestling is just about training and getting better, but wrestling is also about making a family.

What motivates you every day? What motivates me every day is just wanting to get better at wrestling. I think about the goals I want to reach, like winning more matches and learning new moves. My family, coaches, and teammates keep me going too because I want to make them proud. Even when practice is hard, I remind myself that all the effort is worth it.

Outside of wrestling, what hobbies or interests do you enjoy? Some of my hobbies are driving atvs around trails, playing paintball, and spending time with my friends.

Is there anything else you’d like to share? I’d just like to say that wrestling has taught me a lot about discipline, family, and never giving up, and I’m really grateful for all the support I’ve gotten along the way.