Michael Tharpe '22 Recruiting Profile

My name is Michael Tharpe and I am a 5'6  hardworking wrestler.  I am truly a dedicated, coachable and charismatic athlete who enjoys wrestling. It has always been a goal and dream of mine to wrestle at a collegiate level since I started the sport of wrestling.  I not only bring talent, passion, determination and a strong work ethic, I will also bring a strong set of leadership skills, organization, and a solid code of personal ethics. Wrestling has also gave me additional strengths that I feel define more of who I am, being, discipline, patience and sportsmanship.  It has also made me consider that any 'weakness' I may have is ultimately more of a personal strength because it will make me work harder.  

I didn't start wrestling until the end of the wrestling season my 7th grade season and I had no idea what I was doin or any legal moves even.  I took up a personal trainer and he taught me everything I needed to know and I started putting myself on every mat I could for experience.  I gradually and some say quickly got better and come my freshman year I made it to ticket round at semi state.  During the summer prior to my sophomore year I unfortunately broke my arm during a freestyle event in Iowa.  I healed and was released and I went to do a preseason event and ultimately broke my arm again (the doctors don't believe one bone ever fully healed).  So, I unfortunately was out the entire season my sophomore year. I attended every practice and tournament with my varsity team my sophomore season. My junior year I put in a lot of extra work as soon as I was cleared from my injury. All of the work I put in really paid off for me as I made it to state!  I will be wrestling a lot of off-season tournaments and hopefully be able to wrestle at Fargo for freestyle and greco-roman. 

While wrestling may be an individual sport, I also consider it to be a team sport! Being a valued member of my current team and committing 100% to my teammates motivates me harder with every practice, meet or tournament to not only perform at my best but to get better for the next event.  

My realistic athletic goals are to continue wrestling at a high competitive level.  Another goal is to continue the love I have for the sport by passing it on to younger athletes by helping coach, mentor, ref and teach them all about wrestling.  I want to know I have helped make a change, a difference and helped someone else obtain a goal oriented state of mind.  I volunteer in a couple of gyms as often as I can currently and many weekends during my off season, you will also hear me in the corner for a few younger athletes that desire me to be in their corner coaching them!