Cole Fuller '20 Recruiting Profile

My collegiate and life goals include wrestling at a high level while I earn my degree in the area of criminal justice. Ultimately, my plans include entering the military and then law enforcement as a career. I am currently a Sergeant in the Colorado Springs Police Cadet Program, leading other cadets interested in law enforcement.

To begin with, I am consistently the hardest worker in the wrestling room, which has led to me becoming the Team Captain. Even though by today's standards I started wrestling later in my school career, I have dedicated myself to this sport for the last seven years. I have pushed myself by being on the mat at every opportunity, including attending high level camps at major universities whenever possible.

I apply the same attitude to my academics as I do in wrestling, by attacking the subjects that are difficult for me head on and finding a way to be successful. My high school academic goal is to finish the school year with a 3.0 GPA. I hope to accomplish this same goal when I attend college.

Throughout my life, I have been surrounded by people who have had a heavy impact on who I am today. Two of those people are my parents. My dad has always been the one to tell me to go the extra mile and to push myself to the limits. My mom, on the other hand, has always taught me that doing my best in school is just as important as doing my best on the mat. In addition, my coaches were the ones that showed me the importance of leadership and how to lead by example. Through each encounter with these crucial individuals, I have been able to shape some of my core values of determination, perseverance, effort and leadership.

I come from a wrestling family, so I decided to attempt the sport in the seventh grade. Knowing nothing about the sport or how to wrestle, I started attending our local wrestling club, which is known to be a high caliber club. I soon discovered I was years behind kids who were even younger than me, which made learning the sport a very humbling experience. However, even though the odds were against me, I didn't quit. When things weren't going my way, I worked harder. When I made foolish mistakes that cost me, I worked harder. I pushed through two years of losses and despite that, I returned the following year as a freshman in high school and finished with a surprising record of 24 wins to 18 losses. The experience taught me a valuable lesson; that no matter how difficult the road becomes, if I continue to put in the time and don’t give up, then I will always come out on top. This lesson has served me well in many aspects of my life, including the classroom and in my current role as Sergeant for the Colorado Springs Police Cadet Program.

In the end, wrestling has provided me with so many more life lessons than I ever thought it would. It taught me what humility and modesty are. It showed me that if I push harder, finish practice strong, and continue to persevere, then everything suddenly becomes so much easier.  As a result, my confidence has grown and my work ethic is stronger than ever. Wrestling has shown me what it’s like to have a passion for something and that mental toughness is as important as physical strength, not only on the mat, but in life. The discipline I have developed over the years, I believe, will serve me well as I continue to pursue my goals in high school and beyond.