JOHN EVERETT
— By
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John Patriquin/ Staff Photographer: Tuesday, January, 29 ,2008. Deering HS wrestler Chris Smith is going for his fourth consecutive state title seen here during team practice today.
Deering wrestling is unique to a sport whose competitors are often labeled as ''dumb jocks,'' said Coach Al Kirk. A show of hands in the training room, located in the bowels of Deering High School, revealed over half the team is on the honor roll.
One of those athletes is Chris Smith, a senior who competes at 119 pounds. A three-time Class A state champion with 150 career wins, Smith will head to Northern Illinois University next year, joining fellow senior Danton Weimer in a long line of Rams who have moved on to Division I competition.
For now, Smith is focused on winning his fourth championship. Grabbing his first team title wouldn't be bad, either.
What was the Division I recruiting process like?
It was cool to visit a lot of places. It came down to Northern Illinois, Air Force and East Stroudsburg. The whole military thing wasn't what I was looking for. Northern Illinois was always a top choice. I've always wanted to live in Chicago.
What will the competition be like at Northern Illinois?
I plan on getting beat up the first year. Right now I'm the best in our room, but out there I'm a nobody.
Are you worried about getting an opportunity to wrestle?
No, that's the best thing about wrestling: you choose your own destiny. The coach can't bench you because each week you have a wrestle-off for your spot. The coaches don't pick who is a varsity athlete, you do.
Is wrestling in the shadow of other sports?
We don't get as much credit as we should. We run 3-4 miles a day like a track team. We lift weights like a football team. Then we do all our wrestling drills. Our typical practice is from 2 to 5:30 p.m.
Who is your favorite wrestler?
I look up to Cael Sanderson (2004 Olympic gold medalist) and Rulon Gardner, who beat undefeated (Alexander Karelin) in the 2000 Olympics. All the greats are Olympians.
With such little publicity, how do you follow wrestling?
They don't televise it so you have to travel. It's better watching it live anyway. It's not hard to follow who wins a match, that's on the Internet. But watching a match is hard to do.
What drew you to the sport?
My mom baby sat for the junior high coach. She came home one day and found my dad and I wrestling and had an idea. I started competing for the Westbrook Wolfpack (a peewee program) in second grade.
What is your biggest strength?
A combination of technique and speed. I'm definitely not the strongest at 119. I wrestle from the waist down. The bigger kids get tired fast.
Is wrestling a team or an individual competition?
It's individual because you perform with yourself in mind, but getting a pin is good for the team. Our team is close.
Have you ever missed making your weight?
Never. Coach would kill me.
Sports Assistant John Everett can be reached at:
jeverett@pressherald.com