1 00:00:03,920 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: Something that my dad did was as I started getting older, 2 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:10,320 Speaker 1: he started to coach me like less and less because 3 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:13,280 Speaker 1: he figured, I like, when I'm in high school in college, 4 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: He's not going to be in my corner all the time, 5 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 1: so I need to know how to wrestle without him 6 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:18,120 Speaker 1: being there. 7 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:22,000 Speaker 2: This is the Reform Sports Project. I'll podcast about restoring 8 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 2: healthy balance and perspective in all areas of sports through 9 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:29,320 Speaker 2: education and advocacy. Hi, this is Nick Bonacor from the 10 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:33,159 Speaker 2: Reform Sports Podcast. Today, I'm speaking with Jax Forrest, one 11 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 2: of the best high school wrestlers in the country. Jackson 12 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:38,919 Speaker 2: has already cemented himself as one of the sports rising stars, 13 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:42,279 Speaker 2: winning the Collegiate Open at Pennwest Edinburgh as a high 14 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:46,280 Speaker 2: school freshman. Jackson and I discussed learning to compete for yourself, 15 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:50,159 Speaker 2: navigating nil deals at a young age, and the sacrifices 16 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 2: that come with early sports specialization. Man, I am really 17 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:57,000 Speaker 2: really excited. Man, I got another awesome guest. I'm gonna 18 00:00:57,000 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 2: be talking to one of the I'll call him a phenom. 19 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:01,680 Speaker 2: I'm call my stuff a rising legend in the sport 20 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:05,119 Speaker 2: of wrestling around the country. High school kid raised her 21 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:07,560 Speaker 2: in North Carolina, moved a few years ago with his 22 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 2: family up to Pennsylvania. So I'm gonna call him North 23 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 2: Carolina grown. We're gonna claim him because he's on the 24 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 2: national scene making big things happen in the sport of wrestling. 25 00:01:17,240 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 2: Really pumped to have of my man Jack's Forest Jacks. 26 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:21,199 Speaker 2: Thanks so much for hopping on, buddy. 27 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:23,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, of course, thank you. 28 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 2: You're welcome, man, you're welcoming. Listen all this that's going on. Man, 29 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 2: you're in you're freshman in high school, you know, making 30 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 2: national news. What's this been like, I mean the last 31 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 2: couple of years, like leading up to where you are, Like, 32 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:39,399 Speaker 2: how has it been now being kind of under this 33 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:41,320 Speaker 2: national I guess kind of microscope. 34 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean it's it's pretty crazy. I like a 35 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:48,040 Speaker 1: year ago today, like I was nowhere near where I 36 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:50,480 Speaker 1: am now, and then the year before that, I was 37 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 1: nowhere near where I was a year ago, and it's 38 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: kind of just it's happening all so quick, and it's 39 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 1: just it's a blessing. I Mean, it's pretty crazy. Like 40 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 1: sometimes I just like stop and think and I'm like, jeez, 41 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 1: like this is what I used to look up to. 42 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 1: I used to look up the kids that were in 43 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 1: my shoes and now I am like one of those kids, 44 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:08,800 Speaker 1: and it's just it's awesome. 45 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:11,280 Speaker 2: Well, good for you. I know it's been many, many 46 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:13,160 Speaker 2: years in the making. I remember seeing you all the 47 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 2: youth tournaments and all the big tournaments here in North Carolina, 48 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:18,520 Speaker 2: and everyone was like, man, I can Jack's forest and 49 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:21,080 Speaker 2: Joe Seey shout out of the real deal. And then 50 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:24,080 Speaker 2: here you guys are, you know, you know, just doing 51 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 2: big things. 52 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:24,919 Speaker 1: Man. 53 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 2: So congratulations and all your success. Well, thank you, You're welcome. 54 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:31,640 Speaker 2: But let me ask you, how has it been? One 55 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 2: thing I noticed with you, Jackson, and I follow you 56 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:37,240 Speaker 2: on social media on Twitter, and I kind of want 57 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 2: to start here with you because you've you know, you 58 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 2: kids are growing up. I'm forty three. I know your 59 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:43,560 Speaker 2: dad's probably a couple of years older than me. Were 60 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 2: around the same age your mom and dad, and we 61 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:48,679 Speaker 2: didn't grow up with social media, you know, with access 62 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 2: like you guys are under a microscope like this, and 63 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 2: at times I follow you and I see like grown men, 64 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:58,960 Speaker 2: adults like borderline freaking trolling you, dude, like trolling you, 65 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 2: like questioning you, like how old are you? And what's 66 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 2: it like? Kind of feeling that. I guess it's almost 67 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 2: like you like your people are coming at you at 68 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 2: times like you were like a professional grown athlete. 69 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 1: Man. Yeah, I mean it's uh, it's obviously weird, and 70 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 1: I just I try not to think about it too 71 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 1: much because it's like, I mean, what are you really 72 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:22,919 Speaker 1: gonna tell them, because they're, just, like you said, trying 73 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: to troll you. 74 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 2: Is it something that you're like, does it kind of 75 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:28,840 Speaker 2: take you by surprise? Like why are these grown adults 76 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 2: like questioning me? 77 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:33,919 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm just like these people do not have anything 78 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:38,040 Speaker 1: better to do than just try and diminish this kid's accomplishment. 79 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 1: And it's just I'm like, I don't really keep up 80 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 1: with it too much. 81 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 2: My mom. 82 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 1: I know, my mom reads it all the time, but 83 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 1: I try to like just stay away from it because 84 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:47,960 Speaker 1: it doesn't it doesn't mean anything. 85 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 2: And I'm glad you said that. I mean, I know 86 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 2: you have a great family. You have obviously, I'm sure, 87 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:55,160 Speaker 2: great coaches and great guidance. Listen, we obviously know you 88 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 2: have all the physical things. But like now as you're 89 00:03:57,320 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 2: getting you know, on the elite, elite the world's i mean, 90 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 2: competing on the world stage is tapping into like the 91 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:06,440 Speaker 2: mental game, Like is that something that you have you 92 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 2: practiced before? Is that something you're starting to tap into more. 93 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, mental is a huge part of wrestling, and social 94 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:14,720 Speaker 1: media is becoming a big part of wrestling and just 95 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 1: like every sport. And it's like you just gotta like 96 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:20,719 Speaker 1: try to ignore them because focusing on that isn't going 97 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:22,520 Speaker 1: to help you get any better. It's just gonna hold 98 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: you back in worry about what other people think when 99 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 1: in the endgame, you're doing this for yourself and what 100 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:31,159 Speaker 1: you want to do, not to make them happy. 101 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 2: You know, It's interesting because I feel like, you know, 102 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:38,400 Speaker 2: I often advocate I know, you know, you congratulated me 103 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:40,839 Speaker 2: earlier because my son Avery just wanted a state in 104 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:43,240 Speaker 2: North Carolina state title and I never wrestled day in 105 00:04:43,279 --> 00:04:46,919 Speaker 2: my life. I love the sport. I think it's amazing. 106 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:49,559 Speaker 2: But I also I am a big advocate of kids, 107 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 2: especially at early ages, playing different sports. Now, I also 108 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:58,279 Speaker 2: understand that there are certain circumstances where, you know, it 109 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 2: makes sense for certain kids, particular certain sports to go 110 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 2: year round. Did you play other sports when you were 111 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 2: younger coming up, or did you just know that it 112 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:09,680 Speaker 2: was wrestling and that was something you wanted to do 113 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 2: year round at a young age. 114 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 1: So when I was younger, I used to do like 115 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 1: all the sports. I would wrestle during the winter, but 116 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:19,360 Speaker 1: I would also play football in the fall. I would 117 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:22,599 Speaker 1: do soccer in the spring. Over the summer, sometimes I'd 118 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 1: play basketball, but like through it all, Like I would 119 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:27,640 Speaker 1: wrestle some but like I would die it down and 120 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 1: they're like only a couple of practices a week because 121 00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 1: I was young, but I would do those other sports. 122 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 1: Kind of like my dad was giving me a break 123 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 1: from wrestling because he knew, like ultimately he wanted me 124 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 1: to wrestle in high school and college and throw on 125 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 1: but he knew at a young age and like what 126 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:44,480 Speaker 1: you were saying, he wanted me to play other sports 127 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:47,280 Speaker 1: and have a good time just having fun as a 128 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 1: kid with friends. 129 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:52,599 Speaker 2: When did you kind of make that decision, like I 130 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:55,040 Speaker 2: know it's time for me to go all in on wrestling. 131 00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:58,839 Speaker 1: I think like when I got in middle school. So 132 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:01,280 Speaker 1: in North Carolina, middle school for me, I think started 133 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: sixth grade. So I think when I got into sixth grade, 134 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:07,479 Speaker 1: or maybe when I was going into my seventh grade year, 135 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 1: I think there's when I started getting serious because my 136 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:12,719 Speaker 1: dad he started taking me up to Pennsylvania on the 137 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 1: weekends to wrestle, and that's when I knew, like, this 138 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:18,040 Speaker 1: is what I wanted to do, and I didn't care 139 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 1: about those other sports as much. I wanted to wrestle. 140 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 2: So did you ever feel like I have to do 141 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:25,680 Speaker 2: this or was it something that you knew like, Hey, 142 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 2: this is what I want to do. 143 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean sometimes, I mean, sometimes it's gonna wrestling 144 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:33,640 Speaker 1: to super tough sport, and of course there's gonna be 145 00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:35,640 Speaker 1: times where you're like, man, I don't want to do this. 146 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:37,919 Speaker 1: I want to do one of those easier sports and 147 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:40,559 Speaker 1: just have fun doing it when this is all hard 148 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 1: and the losing weight sucks and all these practices suck 149 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:47,279 Speaker 1: and losing sucks. But I mean, I think I usually 150 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 1: was pretty good with it about wanting to stick with 151 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:53,400 Speaker 1: it and just keep pushing through and just loving the grind. 152 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 2: That's such a mature answer because you say the word 153 00:06:56,480 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 2: you know it sucks. Well, anything that you want to 154 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 2: become really good at, matter how old you are, is 155 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:03,400 Speaker 2: going to require you know, you mentioned the grind or 156 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:06,160 Speaker 2: the struggle, and I feel like in order to get 157 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:08,240 Speaker 2: better and you hear the cliche of the saying all 158 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 2: the time, you got to get comfortable being uncomfortable? Is 159 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 2: that something that like when things are going you know, 160 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 2: when when you do have those days, Because we're all 161 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 2: human beings, we all have those days where I don't 162 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:18,880 Speaker 2: want to go to work today. I just don't want to, 163 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 2: you know, for me, for God's sakes, half I would 164 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:22,120 Speaker 2: say eighty percent of the time, I don't want to 165 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:23,720 Speaker 2: take care of my younger kids because they drive me 166 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:25,320 Speaker 2: nuts half the time. I love them to death, but 167 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:27,800 Speaker 2: I still got it. That's my grind. I still got 168 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 2: to do it. How do you work through that as 169 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:31,880 Speaker 2: a sixteen year old kid? 170 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:34,600 Speaker 1: My dad, My dad is great with it, and he 171 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:38,960 Speaker 1: always encourages me to just keep going and just push through. It. 172 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:41,560 Speaker 1: Might it's not going to be your best practice every practice, 173 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:44,160 Speaker 1: but if you can make it a good practice and 174 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 1: push through, it's only going to help you. And I 175 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 1: have two siblings at wrestle, Jovi and Jamison, and they 176 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 1: help me through it because they're doing almost all the 177 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:55,600 Speaker 1: same things I'm doing and it pushes me. Like they're 178 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 1: doing it, then I'm going to do it, and I'm 179 00:07:57,920 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 1: gonna give it my all, just like they're going to 180 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 1: give their own. 181 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 2: What's the name of your high school again, Bishop McCourt. 182 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:04,880 Speaker 2: So it's one of the if I'm not mistaken, it's 183 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 2: one of the top wrestling programs in the nation. 184 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, we're pretty good. We're young, though, so like up 185 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:12,840 Speaker 1: in the next couple of years, I think we're going 186 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 1: to really start to get really good. 187 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 2: So is that one of those things where there's you know, 188 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:20,200 Speaker 2: you're going to school, Like is it something that like, man, 189 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 2: I love being here in this environment, or do you 190 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:25,320 Speaker 2: feel like there are expectations and it's like, holy Kyle, 191 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 2: how do you manage those expectations of being at one 192 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 2: of the top high school programs in the country. 193 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:32,880 Speaker 1: I mean, I just I just go out there and wrestle. 194 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:35,800 Speaker 1: I mean, things are gonna happen. I'm gonna win, I'm 195 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:37,720 Speaker 1: gonna lose some. I'm just gonna go out there and 196 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:39,640 Speaker 1: try and score as many points as I can in 197 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 1: the match and just get better each match, because ultimately, 198 00:08:44,559 --> 00:08:47,560 Speaker 1: it's only high school and like winning Iron Man or 199 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:50,320 Speaker 1: Power Raid or any of these high school tournaments, they're 200 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:52,360 Speaker 1: not my end goal. So I just try and keep 201 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: that in mind because I know I want to be 202 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 1: on higher stages than here. 203 00:08:57,520 --> 00:08:59,600 Speaker 2: So I'm glad you brought that up, and I wanted 204 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:02,319 Speaker 2: to ask, I mean, are we talking about the Olympics. 205 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:03,960 Speaker 2: Is that something that you have in your mind, like 206 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 2: you want to win a gold medal for your country 207 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:05,880 Speaker 2: one day? 208 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:09,320 Speaker 1: Yeah. I mean I always told my dad, like when 209 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 1: I was younger, like I wanted to win Olympics, I 210 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 1: wanted to win Worlds. I mean just like every kid, 211 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:15,320 Speaker 1: Like every kid when they were younger, they would say that. 212 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:17,679 Speaker 1: But I think, like now, and like a couple of 213 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 1: years ago, I was looking at it and like, I 214 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 1: really that's what I want to do, and I want 215 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:23,320 Speaker 1: to make I want to make this my life and 216 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:26,080 Speaker 1: I want to eventually get into coaching or have my 217 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 1: kids wrestle, because I just I love the sport and 218 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 1: I love everything about it, and I just I want 219 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:33,319 Speaker 1: to be the best at It's something about me. I'm 220 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:36,480 Speaker 1: super competitive in the sport, and I just I can't 221 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:38,800 Speaker 1: just go out there and win. I need to dominate 222 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:40,600 Speaker 1: and I need to rest of the best that I can. 223 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:43,640 Speaker 2: If I'm a kid or I'm a parent or whatever, 224 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:45,280 Speaker 2: my kids really good or they say they want to 225 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:47,319 Speaker 2: how do you, how do you even go about getting 226 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:51,400 Speaker 2: on the trajectory of wanting to pursue being an Olympic wrestler, 227 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:53,240 Speaker 2: Like what's the path? You know, I mean, what's the 228 00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:54,319 Speaker 2: way to go about getting there? 229 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:58,520 Speaker 1: So for me at least, I would try and go 230 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:00,600 Speaker 1: like when I was younger and and now, like I 231 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:04,079 Speaker 1: wrestle all the time, and I try to challenge myself 232 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:07,199 Speaker 1: and go like to the next the next age group 233 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:10,240 Speaker 1: up or the weight above, because I feel like when 234 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 1: you do that, you're challenging yourself. So you know how 235 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:16,640 Speaker 1: to wrestle against the best guys at a younger age, 236 00:10:16,679 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 1: so it becomes easier once you get to that age. 237 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:21,680 Speaker 1: But I mean, just loving the sport I think is 238 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:25,280 Speaker 1: the biggest part to getting up there, And that's something 239 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:27,760 Speaker 1: I'm still working on because I'm not there yet, and 240 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:28,839 Speaker 1: that's something I want to do. 241 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 2: Are there like Olympic development because I know in soccer 242 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:35,160 Speaker 2: there's like I think of like an Olympic Development programs ODP, 243 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:37,600 Speaker 2: is that is there something like that for wrestling that 244 00:10:37,640 --> 00:10:39,800 Speaker 2: you have to go down that channel in order to 245 00:10:39,800 --> 00:10:40,480 Speaker 2: get to that level. 246 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 1: Well they have, so they have like there's the Olympic 247 00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:47,000 Speaker 1: Training Center out of Colorado, and so they'll have kids 248 00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 1: out there and I actually went out there with some 249 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 1: of the senior guys. So I think that's kind of 250 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker 1: like what you mean about the developmental to get the 251 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:57,360 Speaker 1: players back up to the senior level eventually. 252 00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:00,000 Speaker 2: All right, So that is something that's on your fore foot, 253 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 2: I mean as you're and I saw recently that you, 254 00:11:03,160 --> 00:11:06,640 Speaker 2: uh you got an nil deal name image likeness. 255 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:08,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, I did it. It's great. 256 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:11,679 Speaker 2: You know that that's a new phenomenon and you're in 257 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 2: high school, Like how did walk me through that? Like 258 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:17,400 Speaker 2: how did that come about? And what does that look like? 259 00:11:17,559 --> 00:11:18,640 Speaker 2: If you can talk about it? 260 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:23,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, So, uh, the company is Caulflower Combat Gear, and 261 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:27,080 Speaker 1: it's like it's a new uh like clothing for like 262 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:30,480 Speaker 1: wrestlers or just anybody. And so they're like they're trying 263 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:33,600 Speaker 1: to give back to wrestlers and uh they're a big 264 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:37,320 Speaker 1: about like growing this sport at a young age. And 265 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:39,680 Speaker 1: I wrestled. I started wrestling when I was young, So 266 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:41,880 Speaker 1: I thought when they reached out to me, I was like, oh, 267 00:11:41,880 --> 00:11:44,600 Speaker 1: this is a great fit because I mean I love wrestling. 268 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:48,200 Speaker 1: Of course I would love an nil deal. It's it's great, 269 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:50,520 Speaker 1: it's very I'm very blessed to have it, and I 270 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:52,880 Speaker 1: mean they just yeah. 271 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:54,560 Speaker 2: Is that like? Uh, I mean I haven't met many 272 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 2: kids or talked to many you know, young people, certainly 273 00:11:57,559 --> 00:12:00,200 Speaker 2: your age that had Obviously you're hearing it more at 274 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:03,120 Speaker 2: the collegiate level. Does it make you How does that 275 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:05,760 Speaker 2: work with your peers? Is there is there any like 276 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:09,240 Speaker 2: do you feel like there's is jealousy or anything that 277 00:12:09,280 --> 00:12:11,520 Speaker 2: you deal with from a social standpoint as a result 278 00:12:11,559 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 2: of your success. 279 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:15,640 Speaker 1: Well, so, Bobaski is one of my teammates. He's also 280 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 1: got he's got multiple nil deals, So like me and him, 281 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:21,520 Speaker 1: we're really cool about it. And then I think like 282 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:24,280 Speaker 1: everybody else, like they might not be getting the nil 283 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:27,160 Speaker 1: deals yet, but like they're on the path too, and 284 00:12:27,240 --> 00:12:30,120 Speaker 1: they're like continuing to work for it. I don't really 285 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:32,719 Speaker 1: see much jealousy about it. We just all want to 286 00:12:32,760 --> 00:12:34,959 Speaker 1: make each other the best that we can. And I'm 287 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:37,200 Speaker 1: going to help them with whatever they need, and they're 288 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:38,680 Speaker 1: gonna help me with whatever I need. 289 00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:42,800 Speaker 2: Do you feel like at all that you're sacrificing, Like 290 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:46,560 Speaker 2: do you feel like you have to really be disciplined 291 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:48,680 Speaker 2: with your social life? Like do you feel like any 292 00:12:48,679 --> 00:12:51,400 Speaker 2: point like, do you still try to experience things like, 293 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:54,640 Speaker 2: you know, whatever, their homecoming dances or just social gatherings 294 00:12:54,640 --> 00:12:56,959 Speaker 2: with your peers, or do you feel like there's times 295 00:12:56,960 --> 00:12:58,679 Speaker 2: you miss out And how does that make you feel 296 00:12:58,679 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 2: if you do have to miss out on some certain things. 297 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 1: I've missed, Like I'm a court like we do have 298 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:08,439 Speaker 1: all those we have homecoming and all those different kind 299 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:10,440 Speaker 1: of dances, And I think I've missed everyone this year 300 00:13:10,559 --> 00:13:13,560 Speaker 1: just being at tournaments. But like most of my friends 301 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:16,920 Speaker 1: in the school are the wrestlers, and they're also missing 302 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:19,240 Speaker 1: it because we're usually at tournaments for it. So in 303 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:21,480 Speaker 1: that sense, it's like it kind of thinks for like 304 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:24,680 Speaker 1: the people that I would hang out with while I'm there, 305 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:27,720 Speaker 1: I'm already hanging out with And like my girlfriend, she 306 00:13:27,800 --> 00:13:30,320 Speaker 1: also wrestles, so she would be at the tournaments with me, 307 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:33,160 Speaker 1: and so I would just be hanging out with her 308 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:35,319 Speaker 1: there and then after the tournament would hang out as 309 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:38,079 Speaker 1: a group. So I don't feel like I'm missing too 310 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:41,160 Speaker 1: much from the aspect of like just being social because 311 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:44,240 Speaker 1: the people that I am being social with, I'm around 312 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:45,120 Speaker 1: twenty four to seven. 313 00:13:45,840 --> 00:13:48,120 Speaker 2: I got you, So you're basically killing two birds with 314 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 2: one stone, you're competing in your sport. You're doing what 315 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:53,360 Speaker 2: you love with the people that you would be doing 316 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:56,000 Speaker 2: with if you weren't in the middle of the sport. 317 00:13:56,320 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, exactly. So I don't really I don't really care 318 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:02,360 Speaker 1: that much that I'm missing out on those things because 319 00:14:02,440 --> 00:14:04,600 Speaker 1: I feel like, I don't know, they're not that big 320 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:07,559 Speaker 1: of a deal, like I said, because the people who 321 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:10,000 Speaker 1: i'd be with there are already with me, and I'm 322 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:12,160 Speaker 1: doing what I love with the people that I love. 323 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:15,920 Speaker 2: Obviously getting more and more attention. You know, I've talked 324 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:18,360 Speaker 2: to you know, people who have you know, competed in 325 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 2: sports and coaches and such at the highest levels of 326 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:23,280 Speaker 2: professional sports, and I always like to ask them. And 327 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 2: as a matter of fact, I asked Bo Nickel when 328 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:27,640 Speaker 2: I interviewed him, like what was what is it like 329 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:30,120 Speaker 2: getting locked in and how do you deal with the 330 00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:32,360 Speaker 2: preparation of a big event? And he mentioned to me 331 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:34,080 Speaker 2: He's like, man, it was interesting when he was, you know, 332 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:36,800 Speaker 2: wrestling in the youth level. He started getting big crowds 333 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:39,240 Speaker 2: at a young age. When you started to see more 334 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 2: and more people like giving you the eyeball, because let's 335 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:44,600 Speaker 2: face it, there's a big difference, I'm sure between wrestling 336 00:14:45,040 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 2: uh with you know, your parents and just some friends 337 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:49,960 Speaker 2: around them at versus being at a big national tournament 338 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:53,440 Speaker 2: with spotlights and it's being you know, broadcasted on Flow 339 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 2: or whatever it is and you got thousands of people 340 00:14:56,040 --> 00:15:00,240 Speaker 2: potentially watching you. Did that take some adjustment or do 341 00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:01,880 Speaker 2: you love that moment? How do you prepare? 342 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:04,240 Speaker 1: I mean, like you said at the end, I love it. 343 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 1: I love just going walking out on the mat and 344 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 1: just seeing like a bunch of people just sitting there watching, 345 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:13,000 Speaker 1: Like I mean, it's just it's really cool because I 346 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:15,160 Speaker 1: used to be one of those kids. I was in 347 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:17,720 Speaker 1: there watching and I would be like, man, I wish 348 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 1: this many people would watch me wrestle them. Now that 349 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:23,000 Speaker 1: I'm there, I'm just I love it. I'm one that like, 350 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 1: I'm really good mentally in this, in this dand that 351 00:15:25,960 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 1: I don't really let like all the publicity get to me, 352 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:32,760 Speaker 1: which I think is a super good thing nowadays because 353 00:15:32,760 --> 00:15:35,240 Speaker 1: a lot of people struggle with it. But I surprised 354 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:37,040 Speaker 1: with like, I'm really good with it and I love it. 355 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:39,000 Speaker 1: I love all the people there, and I feed off 356 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 1: of the crowd, like all the yelling and I mean 357 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:43,920 Speaker 1: it just pumps me up more and wants to go 358 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:46,200 Speaker 1: out there and just wrestle harder and just score as 359 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:47,200 Speaker 1: many points as I can. 360 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:50,280 Speaker 2: I know you mentioned and I've gotten to know your dad. 361 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:51,880 Speaker 2: You know, I haven't seen him in you know, several 362 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:53,680 Speaker 2: years since you guys have moved. But I you know, 363 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 2: always a gracious dude, and obviously you have a great family, 364 00:15:57,240 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 2: but through your you know, path and wrestling. Listen, in 365 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:07,240 Speaker 2: all sports, there are instances when kids get external pressure 366 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:10,920 Speaker 2: from parents, you know, guardians, whatever, and it can burn 367 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:13,280 Speaker 2: them out right, It can run them out of a sport. 368 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:14,640 Speaker 2: It can make them not want to do it. It 369 00:16:14,640 --> 00:16:17,320 Speaker 2: can make it like they're trying to please somebody else. 370 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:20,120 Speaker 2: Have you come across kids, and of course don't name 371 00:16:20,160 --> 00:16:23,160 Speaker 2: any names obviously, but have you come across some kids 372 00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:26,000 Speaker 2: that you know, maybe had huge potential and they're like, man, 373 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 2: I don't want to do this. Where maybe you saw 374 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:31,160 Speaker 2: a dad or a mom you know, be too overbearing 375 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:32,800 Speaker 2: and they couldn't deal with it anymore. 376 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, I've seen multiple instances where a kid 377 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:39,600 Speaker 1: is he's super good, he has all this potential, but 378 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:43,320 Speaker 1: either he just doesn't love it as much as his parents. 379 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:46,480 Speaker 1: Love it for him, or his parents are just like 380 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 1: they're too hard and they just make it not fun, 381 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 1: just putting up, like all the pressure and making him 382 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 1: do all the workouts while doing something that they're already 383 00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:57,040 Speaker 1: questioning how much they like it because of how hard 384 00:16:57,200 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 1: their parents are being on. Like, I've definitely seen that, 385 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 1: and I'm very fortunate to have my dad because he's 386 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:06,800 Speaker 1: super He's super good with all this stuff. He's very 387 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:09,400 Speaker 1: laid back guy, and he wants to make sure I'm 388 00:17:09,440 --> 00:17:12,280 Speaker 1: getting what I think I need, not what he thinks 389 00:17:12,320 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 1: I need. 390 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:16,000 Speaker 2: When we come back, Jackson and I discuss his perspective 391 00:17:16,080 --> 00:17:20,520 Speaker 2: i'm confidence and identity and why he prioritizes challenging himself 392 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:31,040 Speaker 2: over winning. Welcome back. Where we left off, Jackson and 393 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:33,080 Speaker 2: I were about to talk about how parents can help 394 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:38,200 Speaker 2: their kids develop independence through sports. Was when I don't 395 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:40,320 Speaker 2: know if you've ever enough, of course, don't speak on 396 00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:43,399 Speaker 2: any specifics, but I mean when you see or if 397 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:45,639 Speaker 2: you've ever had conversations like what are some things that 398 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:48,600 Speaker 2: kids like? I often try to highlight the fact that 399 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:51,760 Speaker 2: parents could embarrass their kids, like if you're standing there 400 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:53,840 Speaker 2: at a baseball game and your kids pitching and you're 401 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:57,439 Speaker 2: yelling direction from Like that's hard, and I know parents 402 00:17:57,440 --> 00:18:00,200 Speaker 2: get excited, but coaching your kids from the sidelines in 403 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:03,560 Speaker 2: Overzell is talking over the coach Like, as a wrestler 404 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:08,480 Speaker 2: or any athlete, can you speak to maybe your own experience, 405 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:11,080 Speaker 2: whether you've seen it from friends of yours or whoever 406 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:14,359 Speaker 2: that then you know that when their parents are giving 407 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:18,080 Speaker 2: them that pressure from the stands like it's breaking them down, 408 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:20,639 Speaker 2: because I don't think people understand how much that can impact, 409 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:23,240 Speaker 2: you know, a kid's a kid's confidence level. 410 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:25,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean I definitely see that, and I see 411 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:29,840 Speaker 1: dad talking and the kid is just like you can 412 00:18:29,880 --> 00:18:31,960 Speaker 1: tell like he's just frustrated out there and he's more 413 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:35,240 Speaker 1: focused on his dad and trying to not make him 414 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:38,240 Speaker 1: mad than he's actually wrestling. And actually my brother, my 415 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:41,399 Speaker 1: younger brother, is kind of like that, Like he if 416 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:43,720 Speaker 1: he starts getting in a tough match and usually to 417 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:45,879 Speaker 1: me and my dad in the corner, like I'm yelling 418 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:48,359 Speaker 1: things out to him, and he gets more focused on 419 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:50,760 Speaker 1: me telling him what to do than actually wrestling. 420 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:53,520 Speaker 2: So do you feel like it's like, hey, like, as 421 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:55,720 Speaker 2: someone who's competing, do you feel like you have to 422 00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:57,480 Speaker 2: kind of let him figure it out on their own. 423 00:18:59,359 --> 00:19:02,320 Speaker 1: And I'm I mean, I think that like the time 424 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:05,399 Speaker 1: for you to talk to them would be like in 425 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:08,359 Speaker 1: between periods and tell him something, or I think go 426 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:10,920 Speaker 1: out of bouncing they're walking to the center because while 427 00:19:10,920 --> 00:19:14,120 Speaker 1: they're wrestling, it's super hard. I know from experience, it's 428 00:19:14,119 --> 00:19:18,000 Speaker 1: super hard to focus on wrestling and what the coach 429 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:20,560 Speaker 1: is telling you or what the other kids coach is 430 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:21,240 Speaker 1: yelling out. 431 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:23,439 Speaker 2: It's just so hard, Yeah, because you're locked in in 432 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:26,000 Speaker 2: that moment. So it's almost like and I'm so glad 433 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:27,800 Speaker 2: you brought that up because I feel like, you know, 434 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:30,560 Speaker 2: the work should be done in the practice room, the 435 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:32,359 Speaker 2: work should be done in the weight room, all that 436 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:34,680 Speaker 2: so so that when it's time to perform, you should 437 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:36,920 Speaker 2: feel that freedom to just go and compete and be you. 438 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 2: Is that kind of what you're saying. 439 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 1: Yeah? Yeah. And another thing is like something that my 440 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:45,560 Speaker 1: dad did was like as I started getting older, he 441 00:19:45,680 --> 00:19:48,680 Speaker 1: started to coach me like less and less because he figured, 442 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 1: I like, when I'm in high school in college, like 443 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:53,240 Speaker 1: he's not going to be in my corner all the time, 444 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:55,400 Speaker 1: so I need to know how to wrestle without him 445 00:19:55,440 --> 00:19:55,960 Speaker 1: being there. 446 00:19:56,560 --> 00:19:58,639 Speaker 2: That is so clutch that you just brought that up 447 00:19:58,680 --> 00:20:01,159 Speaker 2: and you know the end of the day, dude, Like, 448 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:04,359 Speaker 2: I think it's so it's so important for kids to 449 00:20:04,440 --> 00:20:08,280 Speaker 2: hear your perspective because you're living through it and you're 450 00:20:08,359 --> 00:20:10,680 Speaker 2: you're dealing with this at the double these kids want 451 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:12,479 Speaker 2: to get to But at the same time, you know 452 00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:14,720 Speaker 2: what it's like, like how do you deal? I know 453 00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:17,840 Speaker 2: you mentioned the losses, but like, how do you bounce 454 00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:20,040 Speaker 2: back from a tough loss? How do you bounce back 455 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:22,840 Speaker 2: from adversity? How do you channel that to make you 456 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:25,520 Speaker 2: feel better and get better rather than break you down? 457 00:20:26,119 --> 00:20:29,120 Speaker 1: Yeah? I mean for me, like I said before, I'm 458 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 1: super competitive and I take losses like I take them 459 00:20:32,680 --> 00:20:36,040 Speaker 1: super hard, and it's tough the first couple of days, 460 00:20:36,440 --> 00:20:38,720 Speaker 1: but then over time, like I got to realize, like, 461 00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:40,919 Speaker 1: this isn't gonna be my last match ever, Like I'm 462 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:43,920 Speaker 1: gonna have more tournaments to go out there and keep wrestling, 463 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 1: and if it all goes as plan, like I'll be 464 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:48,960 Speaker 1: able to wrestle that kid again and hopefully beat him 465 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:51,840 Speaker 1: the next time. But like, I think it's super important 466 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:55,919 Speaker 1: to realize that one match doesn't mean everything. Like the 467 00:20:55,960 --> 00:20:58,560 Speaker 1: world my World Finals match I end up losing and 468 00:20:58,560 --> 00:21:01,640 Speaker 1: that one was super hard, but has some really big 469 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:05,639 Speaker 1: matches since then that I have one which makes me 470 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:07,920 Speaker 1: just want to keep winning and keep wrestling. 471 00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:11,640 Speaker 2: I think it's critical for people to understand as you're 472 00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:14,560 Speaker 2: you're kind of breaking this down, Like, you know, there's 473 00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:18,359 Speaker 2: there's so much value in struggling, and I talk about 474 00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:21,840 Speaker 2: that a lot. There's so much value in parents and coaches, 475 00:21:22,040 --> 00:21:25,640 Speaker 2: like understanding that more growth happens when things go wrong 476 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:29,440 Speaker 2: and you learn through that experience. If all you did 477 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:32,240 Speaker 2: was win and never lose, Like, if there wasn't a 478 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:36,120 Speaker 2: risk of losing, wouldn't sports suck? Like isn't the fact 479 00:21:36,119 --> 00:21:37,760 Speaker 2: that you know you have to be the best, like 480 00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:39,199 Speaker 2: if you knew where you're I mean again, don't get 481 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:41,760 Speaker 2: me wrong. Winning is great, But isn't that fact that 482 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:43,760 Speaker 2: you're you're competing against someone that if you're not on 483 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:46,800 Speaker 2: your a game, like you might lose. To me, that's 484 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:49,399 Speaker 2: one of the best things about sports. That's what competition's about. 485 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:51,359 Speaker 2: So if you can love it when it's good, you 486 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 2: got to be able to deal with it when it's 487 00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:55,439 Speaker 2: when it's not going well and more importantly learn from it. 488 00:21:56,280 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, and like you said, if you just want every time, 489 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:01,000 Speaker 1: like I feel like it whatever sport, it would it 490 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:03,240 Speaker 1: would just get kind of boring, like there wouldn't be 491 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:07,440 Speaker 1: in any competition. And if there's no competition, like, what's 492 00:22:07,480 --> 00:22:09,720 Speaker 1: the point are they even doing it? And that's having 493 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:12,159 Speaker 1: to work for something and putting in the time and 494 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 1: practice room to just know you're just gonna go out 495 00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:17,760 Speaker 1: there and beat up the kid. It's like, it doesn't 496 00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:20,240 Speaker 1: make it as fun, and it's not. The process isn't 497 00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:21,800 Speaker 1: going to be as fun as what it should be. 498 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:25,800 Speaker 2: I'm glad you brought up that word, man, because the process, right, 499 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:28,640 Speaker 2: like I wonder you know, you mentioned how how much 500 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:31,520 Speaker 2: it's tough at times and all that, you know, struggling 501 00:22:31,560 --> 00:22:33,040 Speaker 2: and we all don't want to you know, we're not 502 00:22:33,119 --> 00:22:36,760 Speaker 2: our best selves every day. But the process, like do 503 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:39,199 Speaker 2: you when you're standing on the podium or you or 504 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:42,640 Speaker 2: you're you're getting your arm raised, is that the result? 505 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:45,520 Speaker 2: Like when you look back on your big wins or whatever, 506 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:48,120 Speaker 2: are you like, does it make you think about all 507 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:50,960 Speaker 2: the training and time and focus and commitment you put 508 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:53,800 Speaker 2: into it? Is that what brings out the most value 509 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:55,680 Speaker 2: in those great moments of success? 510 00:22:56,520 --> 00:22:59,960 Speaker 1: Yeah? And I always picture that that one like picture 511 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:02,439 Speaker 1: where it's like the guy in first, second, and third, 512 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:04,680 Speaker 1: and it's like what people see, and then it has 513 00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:10,240 Speaker 1: behind it and has like grit, toughness, practices, long nights, 514 00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:12,159 Speaker 1: early mornings, and it has all those things. And that's 515 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 1: kind of what I'm thinking about up there. And it's 516 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:17,919 Speaker 1: like I'm standing here and you just see me as me, 517 00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:19,760 Speaker 1: but you don't see like all the work that I 518 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:22,359 Speaker 1: put in and all the late nights and all the 519 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:25,919 Speaker 1: early mornings and all the talking with my parents and 520 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:30,239 Speaker 1: my family about what I can do better and just 521 00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:31,000 Speaker 1: things to work on. 522 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:33,240 Speaker 2: All right, I want to give you. I want to 523 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:34,680 Speaker 2: I want to kind of hit you with a few 524 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:39,080 Speaker 2: little fast questions here. If you are gonna pick one 525 00:23:39,119 --> 00:23:41,359 Speaker 2: thing to eat, and I know, wrestlers, you guys got 526 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:43,440 Speaker 2: to watch your wait. You guys gotta be on point. 527 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:45,760 Speaker 2: But if you're about to have like a two day 528 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:47,520 Speaker 2: where you can eat whatever you want, what's your go 529 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:48,080 Speaker 2: to food? 530 00:23:49,680 --> 00:23:52,760 Speaker 1: So I'm luckily for me is I'm not a big 531 00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:56,040 Speaker 1: weight cutter, so that's really good. But i'd have to 532 00:23:56,040 --> 00:23:59,480 Speaker 1: I love ice cream and I love Chipotle, so I 533 00:23:59,600 --> 00:24:01,560 Speaker 1: think probably those two would be my good. 534 00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:04,520 Speaker 2: Zoo and who's your who's your favorite wrestler. 535 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:06,879 Speaker 1: I really like Dayton Fix right now. 536 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:09,480 Speaker 2: That's not a bad pick. That's not a bad pick. 537 00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:12,239 Speaker 2: And if you are, if there's one person that you 538 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:14,600 Speaker 2: could wrestle, who would it be? Would it be Dayton Fix? 539 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:19,320 Speaker 1: I think it would probably be probably Spencer Lee right 540 00:24:19,359 --> 00:24:21,879 Speaker 1: now because I'm kind of at that point where I 541 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:24,399 Speaker 1: and I've done the college tournaments where I wrestled on 542 00:24:24,560 --> 00:24:27,360 Speaker 1: twenty five, and I think I think it'd be really 543 00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:28,680 Speaker 1: fun to rest wrestle with him. 544 00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:32,560 Speaker 2: You just mentioned something that people don't. You know, some 545 00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:35,119 Speaker 2: people who will hear this know it. But you just 546 00:24:35,520 --> 00:24:39,240 Speaker 2: wrestled in a college open, a big college open tournament 547 00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:41,639 Speaker 2: as a freshman in high school and you won it. 548 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:42,800 Speaker 2: What the hell was that? 549 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:43,119 Speaker 1: Like? 550 00:24:43,359 --> 00:24:45,520 Speaker 2: Explain to me how that? How do you go show 551 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:48,080 Speaker 2: up and you're wrestling? I mean, you're sixty, if I'm 552 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:50,200 Speaker 2: not mistaken, you just turned sixteen a few months ago. 553 00:24:50,760 --> 00:24:52,840 Speaker 1: Yes, yeah, I turned sixteen in October. 554 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:55,680 Speaker 2: So these kids you were wrestling were what nineteen twenty 555 00:24:55,680 --> 00:24:56,520 Speaker 2: twenty one years old? 556 00:24:56,640 --> 00:24:59,639 Speaker 1: Yeah, I wrestled actually at the Clearing Open, I wrestled 557 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:02,679 Speaker 1: kid I was twenty five. I think from Gardner will. 558 00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:05,119 Speaker 2: Have and you won that, you went undefeated and like 559 00:25:05,119 --> 00:25:08,399 Speaker 2: barely gave up anybody. How the hell like part of 560 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:10,160 Speaker 2: me for saying, hell, I know you're sixteen, but how 561 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:11,080 Speaker 2: the hell do you do that? 562 00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:14,360 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't know. I just I just went 563 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:17,680 Speaker 1: out there and wrestled, I guess, just trying to score points. 564 00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:20,840 Speaker 1: And like at all, three of the opens that I had, 565 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:24,119 Speaker 1: like most of the wins I had were bonus point wins. 566 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:27,000 Speaker 2: So you're you're not just you're not winning like a 567 00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:30,399 Speaker 2: two point decision. You're smoking people. Hi, And what's the 568 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:33,320 Speaker 2: reaction of a twenty five year old man who just 569 00:25:33,359 --> 00:25:35,840 Speaker 2: got his tail whip by a sixteen year old? 570 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:39,720 Speaker 1: He was he was pretty mad, waitch. I mean, I 571 00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:41,520 Speaker 1: don't blame him. I'd be pretty mad too. 572 00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:44,280 Speaker 2: And what is that like when you do that? Are 573 00:25:44,280 --> 00:25:46,919 Speaker 2: you thinking yourself like you're just checking boxes like this 574 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:48,280 Speaker 2: is just another day at the office. 575 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:52,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean going into those college ones like I was, 576 00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 1: I was super nervous going into those, and I didn't 577 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:58,640 Speaker 1: know what to expect because like I wrestled like up 578 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:01,120 Speaker 1: ways and stuff, but I never wrestled like college people 579 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:02,960 Speaker 1: in a ma AC. So I was like, I don't 580 00:26:02,960 --> 00:26:05,000 Speaker 1: know what to expect. I'm just gonna go out here 581 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:07,440 Speaker 1: and I'm just gonna wrestle. I know I'm not I'm 582 00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:10,800 Speaker 1: not predicted to win. I'm just gonna go have some fun. 583 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:15,040 Speaker 2: So you went into it with no expectations. Obviously you 584 00:26:15,080 --> 00:26:16,760 Speaker 2: have your own, but you're like, I'm just want to 585 00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:18,320 Speaker 2: go out here and feel it out. Yeah, where do 586 00:26:18,359 --> 00:26:20,439 Speaker 2: you get the maturity to know, like, I'm not going 587 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:21,879 Speaker 2: to go out here and try like I'm just gonna 588 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:24,600 Speaker 2: Like that seems to me like a very mature way 589 00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:27,600 Speaker 2: to go about it, Like how do you go into 590 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:31,399 Speaker 2: it with that mindset without having expectations like I gotta go, 591 00:26:31,640 --> 00:26:32,400 Speaker 2: I gotta go win. 592 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:34,920 Speaker 1: I think a lot of it comes from my parents, 593 00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:38,919 Speaker 1: Like they've raised me so good and wrestling standpoint, just 594 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:41,600 Speaker 1: in life, and they've they've like given me time to 595 00:26:42,040 --> 00:26:46,119 Speaker 1: grow like by myself, so I know how to like like, 596 00:26:46,160 --> 00:26:49,000 Speaker 1: I know how to think for myself, and I'm pretty mature, 597 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:52,320 Speaker 1: like for my age, so I can like deal with 598 00:26:52,359 --> 00:26:56,119 Speaker 1: situations a lot better than a normal sixteen year old would. 599 00:26:56,960 --> 00:26:59,960 Speaker 2: Jack's what I think would be very very awesome. If 600 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:02,359 Speaker 2: you take a little bit of time, there's gonna be 601 00:27:02,359 --> 00:27:04,080 Speaker 2: a lot of kids. I mean, for God's sakes, I'm 602 00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:06,320 Speaker 2: sure you know, half the kids at my kids high 603 00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:08,360 Speaker 2: school will listen to this and wrestling. I'm the kids 604 00:27:08,359 --> 00:27:09,840 Speaker 2: all over the country are gonna want to hear. Like 605 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:13,000 Speaker 2: if you're if you're talking to a room full of like, 606 00:27:13,160 --> 00:27:15,680 Speaker 2: shout out Willie Hill and it's sly Fox Wrestling Club here, 607 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:18,040 Speaker 2: and will me to like you're talking to his guys 608 00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:21,959 Speaker 2: at sly Fox and uh, you know those kids are seven, eight, nine, ten, 609 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:24,560 Speaker 2: eleven years old and they're like Jack forst Oh my god, 610 00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:28,800 Speaker 2: Like what what what can those kids do you know 611 00:27:28,880 --> 00:27:32,040 Speaker 2: along their journey to put themselves in a position to 612 00:27:32,119 --> 00:27:34,480 Speaker 2: maybe become you know, a Jack's force in the next 613 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:35,760 Speaker 2: four or five six years. 614 00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:39,760 Speaker 1: I think just just loving wrestling and just wanting to 615 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:42,399 Speaker 1: be the best. I feel like that's what has me 616 00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:44,159 Speaker 1: is like I just want to be the best, and 617 00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:47,159 Speaker 1: I have that burning feeling in my chest to just 618 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:49,399 Speaker 1: put in the work and be the best that I can. 619 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:52,800 Speaker 1: But I think like the biggest thing for me at 620 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:56,240 Speaker 1: least is trying to challenge myself and figure out what 621 00:27:56,320 --> 00:28:00,320 Speaker 1: works on the best kids, because like once thing that 622 00:28:00,359 --> 00:28:03,560 Speaker 1: makes me so special I think is just like wrestling 623 00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:08,240 Speaker 1: the college opens and wrestling weights above what I usually wrestle, 624 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:11,160 Speaker 1: and just trying to get the best competition to figure 625 00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:13,840 Speaker 1: out what I need to to ultimately be the best, 626 00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:16,800 Speaker 1: because I'm gonna need to wrestle those older kids eventually, 627 00:28:17,520 --> 00:28:19,840 Speaker 1: so I mean, might as well do it now and 628 00:28:19,920 --> 00:28:21,840 Speaker 1: figure out what I need to improve on now, so 629 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:25,240 Speaker 1: when I am that age or that weight, like, I 630 00:28:25,320 --> 00:28:26,960 Speaker 1: know what to do against those kids. 631 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:31,040 Speaker 2: So don't be afraid to take risks and put yourself 632 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:33,080 Speaker 2: out there in the name of competition, because at the 633 00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:35,760 Speaker 2: end of the day, you're learning as you go, Right, 634 00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:37,920 Speaker 2: the only way to learn is to sometimes you got 635 00:28:37,920 --> 00:28:39,120 Speaker 2: to go out there and get your teeth kicked. And 636 00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:40,840 Speaker 2: I'm sure and that's sometimes the best way to learn. 637 00:28:41,440 --> 00:28:44,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, definitely, I mean, and it's like like you said earlier, 638 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:47,080 Speaker 1: like if I just want every time, I gu'd be boring. 639 00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:49,360 Speaker 1: I gotta go out there and I gotta I gotta 640 00:28:49,400 --> 00:28:52,360 Speaker 1: get humbled. I mean, that's the best way to put out. 641 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:54,920 Speaker 1: I need to be humbled and go back to the 642 00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:57,360 Speaker 1: drawing board and figure out what I need to do better. 643 00:28:57,840 --> 00:29:01,840 Speaker 2: Jack's force wise beyond your freaking years. I love it. 644 00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:04,360 Speaker 2: I can't thank you enough for coming on, man. Where 645 00:29:04,360 --> 00:29:06,479 Speaker 2: can people find you? I know I follow you on Twitter. 646 00:29:06,560 --> 00:29:08,720 Speaker 2: What else can people connect with you? 647 00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:12,040 Speaker 1: I think I think Instagram. I think it's just Jack's 648 00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:16,600 Speaker 1: Forest underscore. I think Twitter is just Jacks Forest. Pretty simple. 649 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:19,840 Speaker 2: So if you want to follow the top dog, go 650 00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:23,080 Speaker 2: on there, follow him. This journey's awesome. Keep up the 651 00:29:23,120 --> 00:29:25,720 Speaker 2: good work, man. Tell your family, Hello, I can't thank 652 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:26,880 Speaker 2: you enough for coming on man. 653 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:30,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, thank you. And I like to say this after 654 00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:32,600 Speaker 1: every interview or anything. I always like to give all 655 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:35,880 Speaker 1: glory to God, because I mean, without him, I wouldn't 656 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:37,120 Speaker 1: I wouldn't be anywhere. 657 00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:40,080 Speaker 2: So I appreciate you saying that, man, and thank you 658 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:42,880 Speaker 2: for taking the time. Wish you nothing but continue to 659 00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:43,520 Speaker 2: test Jack. 660 00:29:44,120 --> 00:29:46,280 Speaker 1: Thank you, it was good talking to Thank you. 661 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:49,560 Speaker 2: That's Jack's Forest, one of the top high school wrestlers 662 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:52,400 Speaker 2: in the country. Thanks for listening to the Reform Sports 663 00:29:52,400 --> 00:29:55,440 Speaker 2: Project podcast Dominic Bonacort and our goal is to restore 664 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:58,560 Speaker 2: a healthy balance and perspective in all areas of sports 665 00:29:58,560 --> 00:30:02,880 Speaker 2: through education and advocate. For updates, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, 666 00:30:03,040 --> 00:30:05,720 Speaker 2: and Instagram, or check out our website by searching for 667 00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 2: the Reform Sports Project