By Hayden Swope

Southeast’s Jamal Garett wasn’t always a wrestler, and in fact started his sports career on the soccer field. Years down the road Garett is now a force to be reckoned with on the mat.

“The first sport I played was soccer,” Garett said. “From what I was told by my parents, I would get very upset when my soccer team lost. So at the age of seven I started wrestling for the team of Hard Knox. This allowed me to do a sport that winning or losing was based on my performance. I have been wrestling for 11 years now.”

Every year multiple teams head to the annual Newton Tournament, with Southeast and Garett being one of them.

“The most memorable moment so far for me this year is surviving the first day of the Newton Tournament,” Garett said. “I participated in the Newton Tournament my freshman year. I was eliminated after my first two matches. This year I placed eighth.”

This being his last season, Garett has big goals for the state match.

“The goal for the season is to place at state, because the past three years I haven’t, so that has to be the goal,” Garett said. “It is my last year, and I have been going 100 percent the whole year. My season goal is to find a college that fits my major and will allow me to wrestle. This year I have been working on my takedowns.”

Garett hopes to continue his academic and athletic career after high school.

“My future is to wrestle in college and study to become a lawyer,” Garett said. “Which is a dream job of mine which I will work hard for because it’s something I’m passionate about.”