"Just about everybody has the will to win, but only a few have the will to prepare."
Fred T. Foard High head wrestling coach Mike Carey placed that quote by an unknown author on the wrestling page of the school's website.
He also put it in the hands of his new team as he began working on the season in his first year as the Tigers' coach.
Senior wrestler Jeremy Griffin took that to heart and has increased his chances of being a conference champion in his weight class, greatly due to his preparation.
"In order to build a successful program in any sport, you first must get the kids to buy into what you're trying to teach them and become leaders," said Carey. "Jeremy is someone that has really stepped up.
"Not so much with words, but with the way he works when he is in the weight room or during practice."
Carey and his team are preparing for the Catawba Valley Athletic 2A-3A Conference tournament on Saturday, starting at 9 a.m., at Hickory High.
As a freshman, Griffin came to Foard with the intent of playing basketball. After that didn't work out, he decided to try his hand at wrestling.
During that first season, he got beat often and sometimes quickly. But he managed to win a few and finished with win more losses than wins.
In his sophomore year, Griffin's record improved slightly and he managed a second-place finish in the 125-pound weight class at the conference tournament.
As a junior, he finished 25-16 but slipped to third place at 125 pounds in the league tournament.
"When I started my freshman year, I didn't really know much about wrestling at all," said Griffin. "Since that time I have learned a great deal about the sport and what it takes to get where you want to be."
The work that Griffin did before the season and what he is doing now is paying off.
As the conference tournament approaches, Griffin is 29-2 overall and 7-1 in the CVAC.
"I have learned that you have to come in each day and strive to know that you can be better that just average," said Griffin. "Sometimes that is a slow progression and you have to be able to deal with it."
Carey speaks highly of his senior wrestler.
"I have only taught one kid in 11 years of teaching and coaching who I would want my son to grow up to be like, and that kid is Jeremy Griffin," said Carey. "He's that good of a kid."
Outside wrestling, Griffin works two part-time jobs and is actively involved with his church.
"Jeremy is a great student and ranks in the top 30 in his class of over 300 students," said Carey. "He has the total package and is a much better person than he is a wrestler.
"He has helped give this team a structure that it probably wouldn't have had without him."
That structure includes having talked his brother Caleb, who is a freshman, into coming out for the team. Caleb wrestles at 112 pounds.
"That's how programs are built," said Carey. "If you can get it started and build a family you will succeed."
"Not only does his brother look up to him and is the first there to congratulate him after each match, the rest of the team kinda looks up to him as their brother as well."
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