Dominic Cesena '12 Recruiting Profile

My name is Dominic Cesena.

I'm a newcomer to wrestling.  I didn't play sports until High School.  My Dad said if I made Varsity at soccer, he'd support me. If I didn't, I'd be better at wrestling.  I didn't make Varsity soccer.  I wasn't good wrestling as a freshman.  I won one varsity match.  Better than most of my team mates.  Our program is always sixth of seven.  I was determined to get better; to place in my league, a strong league.  As a sophmore I did; then I wanted to make it to the second day at section and in my junior year, I had already placed but deferred on the second day; in my senior year, I wanted to place high at section and qualify for the state championships.  I accomplished my goals!

Thank you for the wrestling scholarship offers.  I'm sharpening myself academically and athletically 2012-2013 years at Chabot College.  I graduated from High School and scored 1500 on my Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT).

November 17, 2012 Update:  Today I won our Coast Conference Championships at 133#.  I won12-8 in the finals (gave up 4 pts. on controversial clasping calls, hands brushing each other + cut escapes).  Better next time!  My team mates, Anthony Rubio, 141# also won Gold; Jeshua Avino, 125# won Silver; Donovan Baker, 149# won Bronze; Dakota Johnson 165# 4th.

Wednesday, 10/10/12, I am the starting 133# wrestler and Team Captain at Chabot College.  Two weeks ago, I wrestled in a tournament in Lemoore, CA.  I wrestled in the finals, however, I did not win.  Today, 1 week before our first Conference dual meet, I am the starting 133# wrestler.  I'm ranked 9th in the state.  I want to move up in the rankings.  We're at Modesto's tournament Saturday and Fresno next Wednesday.  See my 9/12/12 goals.  I'm on track!

September 12, 2012 New Goal:  Excel academically at my college; Earn the respect of my coach and my team; Start as a first team wrestler at my school. Excel, place high at State Championships as a freshman; get recruited to a D1 College.  Currenly, at Chabot College, I am challenging to be the 133# Wrestler.  I attended the summer session with two classes and have a 3.85 GPA for that time period.  For the Fall semester, I am carrying 13 units so that I am prepared for upper division.  I continue to demonstrate leadership as the most dedicated, hardest working wrestler in our room.  It is my belief that I help sharpen other wrestlers and inspire their work ethic.

June 7, 2012 Goal:  Be accepted into a college; make a wrestling team.  Start by sophmore year.  In my 2012, Senior season I was a 132 lb., 4th year, Varsity Wrestler in my 3rd year as Team Captain/MVP, 3rd time North Coast Section (NCS) qualifier and Mission Valley Athletic League's Champion, Section Placer and California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State Qualifier, the first of each, at any weight, from my program since 2004, http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_19998225, carrying a 36-3 season record into Sections, http://www.nwcaonline.com/nwcaonline/results/Scorebook/WrestlerInfo.aspx?SchoolYear=2012&ID=1191650.  During my three campaigns at NCS Championship tourneys, no non-placer has beaten me and 3 of the 5 were state qualifiers.  The others were 1 pt. margins. This season, I was undefeated against non-state qualifiers except one, a section placer that I did beat 9-4 in another match.  There's no opponent I cannot beat in a rematch.

Highlights: Went from a 1-8, then a 6-7 record in 1st two varsity seasons of league and post season wrestling to a 33-12 record Junior year and 40-7 Senior campaign becoming a state qualifier; Champion of 10 tournaments, Finalist in 12; High Placer in 16 during my last two campaigns; Most Outstanding Middle Weight; Fastest pin at 2011 Gold Rush Tournament ( :27 Fall in Finals); Most Outstanding Wrestler in 2012 Winter Classic Tournament; MVP 2012 Oakland Tech. Invitational Tournament; Back to Back Champion, 2011 & 2012 Dawn To Dusk Invitational Tournament; Back to Back Undefeated, 5-0, Gold Medalist @ Healdsburg Duals Tournament, 2011-2012; 5th Place @ 2011 America's Cup, Western States Tournament (9 states represented). 2011, NCS Championships beat the 3 seed but medically forfieted out; 2012 NCS Championships beat the 2 seed to qualify for California (CIF) Championships.

Below is a link to an article about my Junior Year, Sections Injury and subsequent deferral after having been slammed by another wrestler.  The other wrestler had already been disqualified, qualifying me as a guaranteed placer and contender for state qualifier.  Since I was no longer physically able to compete, I deferred and allowed the disqualified wrestler to take my place and compete as a section placer and contender for state. http://cifncs.org/sportsmanship/

An important off the mat achievement is my matriculation to Eagle rank as a Boy Scout. I am proud of this accomplishment and the lessons in scouting, in becoming a man and in learning reward through faith, work, honor, and leadership.

My goals for college are to excel both off and on the mat, contributing to my school and the community, doing better each year than the last in my life's journey.  It should be noted that most of my competition footage is from Junior Year, 2011 season as my photo bag with footage was stolen at the CIF State Championships.

While I've wrestled the past 4 seasons, by my standards, I cannot say that I wrestled at the Varsity level all four years, in what is generally regarded a tough league, arguably the most competitive weight class (California won High School Flo Nationals this year. My workout partner was State Champ, Brian Sergi), statewide as well as my section and league.  I’m convinced I’ve progressed exponentially the last year and that with my natural talents, my commitment and dedication and with optimal circumstances and resources; the best is yet to come.