ROCKINGHAM - Austin Gallops, a junior on the Richmond Senior High School wrestling team, has been named the first Official Richmond County Male Athlete of the Week for the 2018 winter sports season.
As one of Richmond’s several returning varsity wrestlers, Gallops has gotten his 2018-19 wrestling season off to a fast start for head coach Earl Nicholson. Through three meets this season, the 152-pound wrestler has jumped out to a 13-1 start, tied for first on the team, as the Raiders have racked up an 8-6 overall team record. This is Gallops’ first career Official Richmond County Male Athlete of the Week selection.
Athletic Profile
Age: 16
Birthday: Dec. 6, 2001
Year: Junior
Winter Sport: Wrestling
Weight Class: 152-pound
Years on Varsity: 2 Years
Height & Weight: 5-10, 152-pounds
Experience: 3 years
“PINNING DOWN THE FACTS” WITH AUSTIN GALLOPS
RSHS Academics: This semester, Gallops is taking four courses at Richmond, including his favorite class, chemistry, with Mr. Garrett Boyd. He’s also taking American history I with Ms. Kelly Russell, multimedia honors with Ms. Lisa Campbell, and has third block weight training with Coach Brad Denson.
Gallops is an A/B student who currently holds a 3.3 cumulative GPA almost halfway through his junior year. He’s also enrolled in the college preparatory cluster, with hopes of attending a four-year university upon graduation in 2020.
“My favorite class is chemistry,” Gallops explained. “It’s really relaxed and we get a lot of work done. Mr. Boyd breaks it down for us to make it easier to learn. Right now we’re working on mass and it’s a lot of fun.”
RSHS Sports: Gallops was a two-sport athlete during his freshman and sophomore years, as he played football in the fall while wrestling in the winter. During his ninth-grade year, he was a cornerback on the Ninth Grade Academy team, before becoming a wide receiver on junior varsity as a 10th grader.
But as he continued to develop on the wrestling mat, Gallops made the decision to focus on his winter sport full time this year.
“It was kind of a hard decision, and I talked with my mom about it ,” Gallops explained. “She told me to do what I wanted to do, and I chose wrestling. In my 10th grade year on varsity, I got pinned in the second round of regionals -- from that point on I promised myself I’d try my hardest to go to states and not get pinned this season.”
High School and College Aspirations: With still over a year and a half until he graduates, Gallops is focused on “getting better at wrestling” while also trying to bump up his GPA so he can “get into a good college.”
In terms of college, Gallops wants to be a teacher so he can eventually coach wrestling. He hopes to pursue a degree and teach chemistry or math because he enjoys those subjects and is “really good at them.” He’s also working on earning a wrestling scholarship, something Nicholson is also big on trying to help his wrestlers obtain.
Austin Gallops (green) does a Peterson Roll on Seventy-First’s Gabriel Carrington last Saturday.
Athlete of the Week Stats: Heading into Saturday’s Raider Rumble II, Richmond’s third meet of the season and its second at home, Gallops was the lone remaining undefeated wrestler for Nicholson. Through the first two matches at Raider Rumble I and the Cold Turkey Duals at Asheboro High School on Nov. 24, Gallops had defeated all of his opponents to secure a 9-0 record.
Gallops would end up losing his first match to date, a 14-10 minor decision loss to East Montgomery’s Keyon Ellis. Last season, Gallops lost to Ellis by technical fall (meaning by 15 points), and despite falling to him again, he saw it as an improvement.
In Saturday’s Raider Rumble II, the junior wrestler tallied a 3-1 record in his four matches and improved to 13-1 overall. Gallops got three wins via pinfall over Douglas Byrd High School’s Louis Velez, Seventy-First High School’s Gabriel Carrington and Holly Springs High School’s Wessley Robinson. On the season, Gallops is tied with fellow junior wrestler Joey Nicholson (113-pound) with the best individual record.
RAPID FIRE – FAST RESPONSES
1) What’s been the key to your success for your fast start to the season?
“I think it’s because I’m being really tough on top and I’m improving my neutral game a lot,” Gallops shared. “Last year around this time, I was struggling with takedowns -- but now I’m doing much better.”
2) During a match, explain what’s going through your mind. What’s your favorite part of being a Raider wrestler?
“I’m always thinking about what move to do next or waiting for my opponent to make a mistake so I can capitalize on that,” he said. “That’s what happened with the Seventy-First kid (Carrington). He was riding high and I did a Peterson Roll, which is a two-point reversal. Then I was able beat him.
“My favorite part is being with my teammates,” Gallops added. “My friends and my family all have my back, and it’s a great atmosphere here.”
3) Who is someone who has impacted your life positively such as a mentor, teacher or coach?
“My mom, Heidi Jeter, has always taught me to never give up,” he said of his role model. “She’s also taught me to never let things people say get in my head because that means you’re giving into them.”
4) If you could accomplish one goal as a high school wrestler, what would it be and why?
“I would want to be the first Raider state champion,” Gallops said. “I think that’s everyone’s dream in high school. I think I have what it takes, but still have some stuff to work on. Once I get those things right, I’ll be a strong contender.”
5) Name an interesting fact about yourself that many people may not know about you.
“My nickname is ‘Southside’,” Gallops said with a smile. “I got it my freshman year from three seniors who were on the team. One day we were joking around, and they asked where I was from and I said South Hamlet. They didn’t believe until they took me home.
“It feels good to have a nickname and be recognized,” he concluded. “It helps me when I’m wrestling and makes me remember the things those seniors taught me when I was a freshman.”
Coach’s Corner: Nicholson has seen Gallops grow within the Raiders’ wrestling program the past three seasons, and is relying heavily on the junior to help guide the team alongside his son, Joey Nicholson. He also praised Gallops’ work ethic to learn a new sport.
“Austin is what we call a sponge -- he’s sucking in everything I say and teach,” Nicholson said. “During a match the other day, he was losing 7-3, and I told him to keep his arms down and he immediately did it to win 8-7. The most incredible thing about him is he only won one or two matches his first year. Last year, he was a .500 wrestler and he’s an example of a kid who stuck with it and stayed the course.
“When a new guy comes out to wrestle, I pair him up with Austin because he teaches the guys the right way to do things,” Nicholson added. “He doesn’t take any shortcuts. That’s a big benefit for the team. I wish some of the new kids could have seen him wrestle two years ago -- and see where he is now. They’d understand that if you stick with it, good things will come. Austin is a great role model.”
