By SARA CASLER
Although normally considered a sport for individuals, junior Lee Hagood James and his brother, senior Hunter Hagood James, inspire the wrestling team to work together and succeed as a whole.
The Hagood James’s both found a passion wrestling in 2009 when they joined the team for fun.
“We joined [wrestling] together. Everything that we’ve done has always been a mutual thing,” Lee said.
Lee ended last season with a 34-4 and with a 18-5 record so far. He also has a personal best pin time of 11 seconds in round one.
The Hagood James’s quickly excelled, becoming two of the best wrestlers on the team, along with sophomore Alton Meeks with a record of 18-0. Head coach Michael Willis is proud of how these young men have stepped up and come to lead the team.
“These are my spiritual leaders on this team,” Willis said.
Not only have the Hagood James’s impacted the team, but they have also improved their relationship as brothers. They train together during practices and on their own time, and tweak one another’s skills and techniques.
The brothers also bettered themselves by attending and completing J Robinson Intensive Wrestling Camp, a 28-day camp designed to increase focus and fine-tune techniques.
Sibling rivalry also plays a part in motivating them.
“[Sibling rivalry] is pretty big [between us] especially because [Lee] is now bigger than me, and I want to stay on top. It just makes us both better,” Hunter said.
Despite everything, the brothers press on and continue to inspire their teammates and each other.
“My inspiration is my little brother. He is really dedicated and wants to do well,” Hunter said.
Meeks is also a big player for the wrestling team. He is undefeated so far and qualified for states in 2009 as a freshman and placed fourth in his 215 weight class.
Meeks holds a personal best record pin time of 24 seconds in round one against Edgewater High School.
The team as a whole has had a rough season. They are currently 4-18, but they still have outstanding performances by the Hagood James brothers, Meeks and senior Kyle Lipa.
Junior John Burns joined the team to try something new. He has also enjoyed for the camaraderie he has found since joining the team.
“We motivate each other, because having a team is lot more motivating than getting yourself motivated individually,” Burns said.
Burns currently has a 4-17 record.
The team has been through a rough patch. They are not where they would like to be with their record and because of lack of experience and skill. The Hagood James brothers made a drastic change when they joined the team. Along with Meeks, the brothers lead themselves and the team to success.
“They always keep everybody together. They are the heartbeat of this team,” Willis said.