Andrew Garr '19 Recruiting Profile

Dear Coaches,

    My name is Andrew Garr, and I aspire to be a not only a successful wrestler in college, but an overall outstanding student-athlete.  Like many other recruits, a major goal is to be a wrestling All-American and national champion; but this is not the only expectation to take from my experience at college.  Unlike many recruits who wish to go to college to 'major' in wrestling, I will use my talents as a vehicle to take me to places I would not otherwise be able to go.  I hope that wrestling can allow me to go to a better school, keep me disciplined, and to relieve some of the financial stress as I mature into a respectable man, undergraduate engineer, and ultimately fulfilling my dream of becoming an ER Doctor.  I will consider my university experience a success both academically and athletically, hopefully with wrestling accolades. 

    These unique aspirations are a product of my unique upbringing. Ever since I was born, my life has been different from most, as I am a twin brother to one of my biggest role models, my Down Syndrome and deaf sister,  Jena.  Jena has had a huge impact on my life, as I was tasked to take care of her from a young age, as my busy single mother is a university chemical engineering professor and needed all the help she could get.  Jena has molded how I am as a person, as I have always been involved in her life, whether it is being a buddy for challengers baseball, watching over her while mom is grading papers, or taking her out to the occasional movie.  As a toddler, I often played with her in bounce houses and ball pits, and because i frequently pushed her ride-on firetruck, I received my first sports related injury at the age of 2 - a hernia!  Her upbeat, youthful, and positive attitude has given me an amazing perspective in life, teaching me to take nothing for granted and looking for the light in even the darkest situations.  Another "Jena effect" is that I will forever know all of the words to Barney, Wiggles, and musicals from the Sound of Music to Frozen!  Whereas my cognitive abilities are in the top 5%,  Jena's rank somewhere in the bottom, meaning I will always take care of her and she will always be part of my life.   Another example of athleticism and responsibility is my current employment as a Red-cross certified lifeguard and swim instructor.

    As stated before, my mother is a chemical engineering professor, and she has also had a major impact in my life.  Due to her busy schedule,  I have learned to take care of myself at an early age, such as arranging rides for practices and preparing my own food during the season. Her academic prowess has also rubbed off on me somewhat, exemplified by my I.Q.  of 138, a 3.8 GPA taking honors and AP courses, consistently obtaining advanced scores in state testing, and most recently getting credit for AP US History exam and scoring a 5 on the AP Biology exam, a feat which only 6% of test takers worldwide obtained this year.  In the coming up school year, I continue to push my self academically, taking AP Language, AP Calculus AB, AP Physics C- Mechanics, AP Computer Science, and Honors Chemistry, while preparing to take the ACT this fall. 

    One last asset that separates me from the pack is my wrestling ability.  Competing in one of the toughest states in the country (Ohio) with a broken thumb and mononucleosis, I won the sectional, was runner-up at the district, and was the only freshman to qualify in my weight class at the 2016 Division 1 OHSAA state championships my first year in high school,  falling just short of placement. Shortly after the season, I went on to win the Cadet Greco-Roman state title and took second in Cadet Freestlye; thereafter, I finished the offseason with an 8th place All-American effort at Cadet Freestyle Nationals (Fargo). This season (2017) I was prime for a high placement at states, defeating multiple state champions and state placers, before breaking my arm and prematurely ending my season. Hungry to make up for the lost time, I went on to take 2nd at Jr Greco state and then tech-falled my way through the Jr. Freestyle state tournament, becoming a Jr. Freestyle state champion. I then went on to come just 1 match short of placement a Age- Level World Team Trials, defeating many state champions and All-Americans along the way. I then went on to take 3rd at the Jr. Freestyle Central Regional and 2nd at the Jr. Greco Regional. I finished up the summer competing in Jr. Nationals, going 3-2 beating many state placers and competing at a national level.

    In conclusion, my goals of developing as an overall man,  experiences with my multi-handicapped twin sister,  very strong academics, and athletic accomplishments -  set me apart from other recruits, and is why you should consider me for your university.