At the beginning of my senior year, I thought to myself “this is it, we finally made it.”
It was my last year to play high school sports, my last year to be with all my amazing coaches and teachers, other than my dad of course, because I live with the guy.
I was happy but I was also kind of sad to see it all go. But I know during the past four years I made some amazing memories. I played sports nonstop and it was like every time a season ended I was going right into another one.
At Richmond I played soccer, ran cross country, wrestled and ran track. I remember my 10th grade year going out for varsity soccer, which was an amazing experience even though I didn’t start. I was getting a fair amount of playing time, and by my senior year of soccer I was starting.
My favorite goal was against Jack Britt when I scored the winning goal for our team and I can’t even explain how excited I was.
I had some great moments in cross country, too. I remember my time was fast enough but not where it needed to be, but by my 11th and 12th grade years I saw my time come down a lot. I also placed pretty high in a couple meets.
Wrestling was my favorite sport not just because I was being coached by my dad, Earl Nicholson, but because it was like wrestling was a part of me. When I lost a match, I remember myself looking back at the video until I found out what mistakes I made.
I became pretty well known to a lot of people because of wrestling, and I remember thinking during my 9th and 10th grade years that I was so good. I was really just all right, but I won a lot of matches due to the fact I had an understanding of wrestling.
After my 10th grade wrestling season we had to progress and find a faster way to get even better. Soon I found the best wrestling club and I’m still a member of School of Hard Knocks in Greensboro coached by Bob Lloyd.
Man, my first day there I thought I was going to die. I never had a practice that was that hard and I didn’t want to go back. But my dad made me and I’m happy he did because I got so much better.
I remember after practice Bob would have me stay and drill moves over and over and every time I messed up I had to do 50 burpees or 50 push-ups. One of those days I had about 300 burpees and I just wanted to stop, but I never did. I always came back no matter how hard it got.
I always came back because I was determined to be the best and this club pushed me to my limits. By my 11th grade year I got my 100th career win and I won the Mallard Creek tournament and the St. Pauls tournament.
I beat a lot of highly-ranked wrestlers and soon I became one of those top wrestlers. By my 12th grade year I was ready -- I was like this is my team now and this is my year. I broke the record for the most wins and I was having a great year until the Mallard Creek tournament.
I didn’t do as well as I would have liked, so right after the Christmas break I had to get better. I turned it up a little and I was more focused, training harder, even after practice. I was doing something whether I was at the gym or the house, I was trying to get better and it paid off.
I won the St. Pauls tournament again, I placed second in conference and I made it to states. The end of my wrestling career was sad because I didn’t get what I wanted and what I worked so hard for. I was devastated but my travel coach always told me if you don’t win a state title then God has something bigger planned for you.
I always think how that one speech can just make so many things better. As a senior, I also achieved an amazing ending to my career with 151 career wins.
With track and field, I had some fun moments but I didn’t really think I was helping with the points until my junior year. Track practices weren’t long but they were kind of hard but fun. All I can really say about track is that I wish I got to finish my senior year.
Because of COVID-19 all schools were closed I was so bummed. I was ready for track and I was ready to see what would happen in my last year of high school but all that got ruined. I couldn’t do much but sit at home and do homework hoping something special would happen. But the schools never opened back up and we had no more sports.
COVID-19 made me realize that you’ll never miss something as much until it’s completely gone. I wish I could get this year back and have another chance to finish out my senior year but we can’t go back now.
We just have to make the best of it because it’s time to start the next chapter in our lives. I’m thankful for being a Raider and I would like to thank all my coaches, my teachers and my supporters for pushing me to achieve my goal and helping me through all the tough times.
I’m sad to go but I’m ready to begin my next school year and wrestling career at the UNC-Pembroke.
This is my story, but this is our year.
