Ethan Nelson is a standout wrestler for the Elk City Elks, but his story did not start that way. After moving to Oklahoma from California in fifth grade, and was introduced to wrestling by a friend in middle school.“For my first time competing in sports, it was fun,” Nelson said.After getting his first taste of competition, he knew he wanted to commit long-term.“My freshman year, I knew I wanted to go to the state tournament,” Nelson said, and he has been pursuing that goal ever since.With ambitions like that, hardships are inevitable, but Nelson knows how to stay focused and keep his eyes on the prize..“Mainly what drives me to keep going is my friends, the senior leaders on the team, family and even my younger teammates,” he said. “I try to hold my friends accountable and keep them going, and I expect the same thing for me.”Even when he struggles or faces setbacks, Nelson works to maintain a positive attitude and learn from his mistakes.Now an upperclassman, he understands that he is no longer competing only for himself. His younger teammates now look to him as a role model, a responsibility he embraces by giving 100 percent in practice every day.“What helps me be my best self is setting an example for the younger wrestlers and my younger sibling,” he said. Wrestling is more than a sport to Nelson, it is his lifestyle. Everything he does is centered around the goal he set at a young age. To stay focused, he posts reminders of upcoming events in his room and puts in extra work after practice or in the mornings to gain an edge over the competition, all because of a friend who introduced him to the sport in middle school.
