Cooper Feke '23 Recruiting Profile

My emotion is calm yet my stomach is tied with knots, filled with butterflies, as if my stomach is about to explode. I hear my name being called. One sip of water and the snapping sound of my singlet straps hitting my shoulders. The extreme rush of adrenaline fills my body and my eyes lock in. This is the feeling that I live for. 

Being a high performance athlete and wrestler requires a combination of  physical and cardiorespiratory fitness, mental toughness, and determination. At times others may struggle to understand the daily commitments and sacrifices that I make for the sports that I love. I do not have the same time for things "average kids" would have time for.  Such as hanging out with friends frequently, playing video games, and even just relaxing as most of my time is dedicated to training and recovery. However, this is my journey, one in which I am committed to and love. Win or lose, the life lessons I will gain along the way will stick with me for a lifetime.

Covid-19 here in Ontario derailed my training and devastated me emotionally. I lost almost two full years of training. In the fall of 2021, club training came back slowly, only to shut down again and not re-open until the spring of 2022. Although this was extremely hard on me both physically and psychologically, I made the best of the situation. I trained as much as I could, independently, in my limited home gym. This allowed me to focus on what I was able to control, and not dwell on what I could not. 

Wrestling has been a very large part of life since I was three years old, it is in my blood, and a large part of my identity. I believe wrestling has taught me many valuable lessons in life: to never give up, keep fighting, always move forward, win with grace, lose with dignity, give back to the sport, to learn from the things that do not always go my way and the importance of being a great partner. Wrestling has made me into the young adult that I am today. These core values are not only limited to the wrestling room. I apply them to the classroom, my studies, and to my relationships with others. I am confident, that my learning will continue, both on and off the mat. I am excited to take both my wrestling and my academics to the next level as I move into post secondary education. I believe I am ready for the next step and look forward to the challenge.