would be no point in me trying to come back ; there would be no point in me trying to get an education . If anything , I would do online classes and not leave home . But there ’ s just something about competitions . There ’ s just something about getting those life lessons and those life teachings , and actually living in the moment . That ’ s so much different than doing something you really didn ’ t have to work for .
What does this season look like for the team , and for you personally ?
We ’ ve got a good bunch of guys , definitely spots have been filling well . I think we have a couple of freshmen who are going to fill in spots , too . The mentality is different ; everybody ’ s techniques aren ’ t the same — they ’ re very different , but we ’ re all on the same page . We pick each other up . It ’ s definitely a different environment than it was last year , even though it ’ s a smaller group . I like it .
Were you recruited by other colleges and universities ?
No , but I was looking at colleges . No one really called me , and I really didn ’ t get anything . I was A-B honor roll [ in high school ] — I didn ’ t have anything that someone above me or below me in placements could have had . I had good academic grades , I was in AP classes , I did theater , I did band — I did it all . And it was really disappointing to not hear back from people . I even took third in freestyle Greco [ -Roman wrestling ] in state , against the guys in juniors , during the summer . And it was just really deteriorating for me .
You mentioned that Life University ’ s Women ’ s Wrestling coaches Ashley Sword and Christian Flavin were the first to contact you .
They actually met me at a tournament and said , “ So , we like what we see . How do you feel about doing freestyle ?” My coach and I talked about it , and I just like freestyle better ; it ’ s fun . Ashley said , “ Do you want to come wrestle with us ? It doesn ’ t have to be now .” And I was like , “ I ’ ll take my time and think about it .” Eventually , some stuff happened , and it didn ’ t work out as well .
That ’ s when my high school coach and I reached out to Coach Omi [ Acosta , head coach of men ’ s wrestling at LIFE ]. And at the end of the conversation , he said , “ As long as you work hard , I couldn ’ t care less . As long as you work hard , and you put your best effort in . First , you ’ ve got to get grades .” I had good grades ; I had a 3.7 GPA . I have a 2.7 right now , and it ’ s driving me crazy .
So I was going to go in that direction , but Coach Omi and I talked , and ever since then , he ’ s been behind me 100 percent . The team has been behind me . He ’ s been supportive of me doing these things [ interviews ]. I went to film festivals last year for my documentaries , and he let me go do that .
Editor ’ s note : Those are the ESPN 30 for 30 short “ Mack Wrestles ” and
“ And then , the people on campus — it ’ s LGBT friendly , everyone ’ s friendly to each other .”
“ Changing the Game ” — a featurelength documentary about transgender high school athletes .
How do you think everything that ’ s happened over the last five years or so has helped you grow as a person ? Because you mentioned you ’ re an introvert .
A lot of people would disagree with that , but it ’ s only because I start talking when I ’ m comfortable around people . Even when I ’ m around my peers , I ’ m really quiet and I ’ m really to myself . I have a lot to say , I have a lot on my mind , I ’ m a really deep thinker and I like helping people . I like to help people more than I like to help myself , and that makes me sleep better at night — knowing that as long as I ’ m doing whatever I can , for others and for myself , that ’ s a good day for me .
What has all the media attention been like ? Lots of people know your story now .
It is weird , but it ’ s whatever ; I ’ m like any other person . At the end of the day , if you ’ re doing this for yourself or you ’ re doing this for others , be confident in talking about what you know . I ’ m very confident when I talk about my story , and I ’ m confident in what I have to tell and the teaching behind it . I didn ’ t do this just because I wanted a gold medal . If I wanted a gold medal , I would have gone to PE or club or something — if I just wanted a participation award . But I want to do this for competition ; I want to do this for love of the sport . When you ’ re in that room , everyone has a common goal to be a champion . I want to be a champion .
What does that look like for you ?
Just keep on working every day — breaking myself down to where I ’ m crawling on my knees , trying to push myself every day in practice to where I ’ m calm . As long as I know I ’ m giving my best effort and 110 % percent , and I ’ m coming out of that room saying , “ I did everything I possibly could today . I did everything I could .” And I know I ’ m getting closer to my goals , to getting to be that champion .
And if not , if I ’ m not a champion ? Then being on a great athletic team and being a part of a great program , I ’ m happy with that — as long as I get to put on these two shoes and step onto that mat .
What would you want to tell the Life University community and everybody else that I haven ’ t asked you about ?
Don ’ t give up on your dreams . If someone says that you can ’ t do something , don ’ t listen to them because they ’ re not you . They ’ re not walking in your shoes ; they ’ re not sleeping in your bed . At the end of the day , it ’ s your mind and your heart that ’ s going to get you where you need to be . So just grind it out , every single day — as long as you ’ re giving 100 percent into anything you have , to the best of your ability .
And I feel like that ’ s what life — and LIFE — have taught me : there ’ s always light at the end of the tunnel , no matter what .
40 Alumni . LIFE . edu | 2019