Damian Rousseau '26 Recruiting Profile

My name is Damian Rousseau and I'm a wrestler. I never grew up watching sports in the house and it wasn't until 8th grade that I started wrestling. My parents tried introducing me to team sports where I tried things like swimming, fencing, soccer, basketball, rugby, and Muay Thai, and it wasn't until I tried Jiu Jitsu that I finally found something that I started to like. Covid put an end to that after a year, but I looked to return once things started returning to normal. My mother suggested that I try folkstyle wrestling because it's part of high school and can be helpful getting into college. From the day I joined my local wrestling club with my younger brother, everything changed. Starting to wrestle in 8th grade at 136 pounds was a challenge. Training was hard, there were a lot of losses and disappointment, but there were also wins and something that kept me wanting more. The first time I left home for an extended period of time without my parents, was when my brother and I flew out to Missouri for the Purler 28-day drilled to death wrestling camp the summer before I started high-school. For that month, we trained 3 times a day with only meals and showers in between for a break. I returned and still lost matches. 28 days at camp did not guarantee me to be a champion. I started high school as a freshman in varsity. I finished with 17 wins, 9 losses, an AC sprain to end my season early, but received my varsity letter and an award for co-rookie of the year. I want back to the Purler 28-day camp again the next summer bringing 3 other members of my wrestling team. For my Sophomore season, I ended with 39 wins (28 by pin), 11 losses, no injuries, 1st place at the Chaves Holiday Invitational, 1st place at the Bristol Central Invitational, 2nd place at FCIAC, 5th place at the CIAC LL Divisional, and 6th place at the CT State Open Championships. I have been meeting my goals and setting new ones. Next year, I will be a state champion and make it to New England's and beyond. I plan on doing more Freestyle and Greco instead of Rugby again. I completed my EMR training and will not pass my certification, since the wrestling season is over, so that I can work in my town's emergency medical services. I am homing in on my college major and currently want to work in the medical field where I can help people and save lives. For your team, I am a good candidate because I am coachable, I work hard, I love being part of and a leader to a team, and I have a fire inside me to win.