Making it to state for any sport is a shining achievement for many, especially if you’re Ethan Venable (10), who has competed at state twice while only being a sophomore, finishing in second place this year.

Venable said he began wrestling when he was 6, which has given him him plenty of time to hone the skills he has today. Starting at such a young age has given him plenty of time to gather an immense amount of trophies.

“I probably have well over 50,” Venable said.

Like any sport, though, there positives as well as negatives.

“For the pros, you are going to be working out heavily with some people, so you’re going to get some close friends,” Venable said. “For the cons, you’re going to get beat up. If you’re new, you’re going to get bloody noses and you’re just going to get beat up.”

With making it to state last year, there was a slight amount of pressure building up regarding this year. Finding encouraging factors assisted this wrestler when it came to moving forward.

“Winning,” Venable said. “Winning state.”

Venable said his biggest supporters are his friends Parker and Moe, as well as his coaches, who have helped him in preparation for state.

“It’s crazy. You’re there for a long time and sometimes you have to wait for up to eight hours before you wrestle,”  Venable said. “The buildup can really get to you.”

With being in a program such as a club or sport, many people will find that it can change how they think or act in situations, and Venable is no exception to this.

“Wrestling as a whole helps me get in shape and it mellows me out,” Venable said. “Specifically this year I was the team captain, and it gave me leadership skills to get freshmen under control.”

Going forward, Venable plans to see where wrestling takes him, but he also plays football, which may impact his future plans. Determining where he ends up after high school may come down to how he can earn better scholarships. Regardless of the sport he pursues, he sees sports playing a long-term role in his life.

“I’m probably going to try and coach a college team or maybe a high school team.”