Clayton Sides '22 Recruiting Profile

I started wrestling at 6 years old.  I wasn't a natural, but I really enjoyed it.  Through elementary school I had more loses than I had wins, but I really loved the sport, so with my parent's support, I really began pushing myself my 7th grade year.  I joined a private wrestling club during the off season, I started training in Freestyle & Greco Roman, and wrestling in as many tournaments as I could to get as much practice as possible.  My hard work paid off, and I was undefeated my 8th grade year at 132 lbs.  

Unfortunately, while playing varsity football in the fall of my 9th grade year, I sustained a really bad concussion that ended my football career and postponed my first high school wrestling season.  I was under the care of a Traumatic Brain Injury doctor at Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana for almost 5 months.  By the time I was released to wrestle, I had missed all of the high school season with the exception of one match.  I won that match, and remembered my love for this sport.

Having a concussion really hurt the start of my high school career.  My grades were impacted because I wasn't able to use a computer for 3 months while I recovered.  I missed more than 50 days of school because of appointments with specialists and brain therapy.  But I am fighting and working hard to get back to where I want to be academically and physically.