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[12.31.08] For Kyle West, the decision to accept a full-ride wrestling scholarship to the University of
California, Davis, came down to a connection he felt with the program and his future teammates and
coaches.
The senior standout on the Oak Ridge wrestling team at 140 pounds entered his final high school season
with a career record of 144-14. His junior year featured a second place finish in the California
Interscholastic Federation State Championships, Sac-Joaquin Master's and Division II section titles and
a Sierra Valley Conference crown.
In a phone interview on Dec. 20, West said attending UC Davis was never something he considered
before this year because of the fact it was “too close to home.”
“I didn't want to be so close to home at first, but I realized that Davis is far enough away that I can have my
own life and still be able to come home on the weekends,” West said. “I just never gave (UC Davis) a
chance. I kind of decided that I wasn't going to Davis before I actually made my decision.”
*
West fell in love with the idea of being an Aggie during a visit to the Davis campus. West said he was
impressed with the coaching staff as well as the other wrestlers, some of which he knows well from time he
spent on the National High School Coaches Association Junior Nationals team that represented California.
“I love the guys on the team. A lot of the incoming freshman I know real well,” West said. “I was really just
loving it there; I felt connected.”
West is also looking forward to joining his close friend on the Aggies roster, sophomore Barrett Abel from
Union Mine High School.
“He's always been like a mentor to me,” West said. “I'm excited to wrestle with him on the same team.”
The visit to UC Davis came after those similar at Cal Poly, Northwestern and Nebraska of which the
decision was ultimately narrowed down to because each school interested him in different ways.
Reassurance in the decision would come for West when the Aggies toppled Northwestern in a dual meet
at Davis, 23-15, when the Wildcats were ranked No. 10 in the nation at the time. West is confident that the
Aggies will continue to climb the ranks in college wrestling with the help of his and others in the coming
years.
“(Aggies' head coach Lennie Zalesky) explained the (potential) line-up to me and I just saw the how great
of an opportunity this was to be a championship team,” West said. “There are no holes in the team.”
Most would argue that there are no holes in West's wrestling prowess on the mat. He prides himself on
being the aggressor who is more physical and stronger then his opponent while maintaining a balance of
quickness and finesse. It is his drive inside that makes him a fierce competitor.
“I pretty much want to win everything,” West said. “I feel like second place isn't anything. If I don't win, I
haven't achieved my goal and losing just kills me. Losing motivates me because I never want to feel that
pain again.”
But simply beating his opponent is not enough.
“My mentality is that I don't like winning, I like dominating so know one can say ‘hey it was a close match,
maybe I'll beat him next time,” West said. “I want (my opponent) to be afraidŠI've coached myself to want
to be untouchable.”
Wrestling on the collegiate level will be his biggest test yet as West will put his body and mind through a
grueling test of endurance and will. But for a kid who is the leader of a youth group at his local church
which travels to Mexico to build houses for homeless families every Spring Break, failure is not an option.
“It's hard to never be satisfied, but that's what is making my stronger,” West said.
A wrestler of his potential will not be satisfied till he reaches the sport's highest honor which is to capture a
Gold Medal at the Olympics Games.
“When the year of 2016 comes around, I will be winning the Gold Medal at the Olympics,” West confidently
said.
But For now, West will try to lead the Trojans as they defend their league and Division II section titles
before moving to Davis' dorms next fall.
Story created Dec 30, 2008 - 17:07:33 PST.
California, Davis, came down to a connection he felt with the program and his future teammates and
coaches.
The senior standout on the Oak Ridge wrestling team at 140 pounds entered his final high school season
with a career record of 144-14. His junior year featured a second place finish in the California
Interscholastic Federation State Championships, Sac-Joaquin Master's and Division II section titles and
a Sierra Valley Conference crown.
In a phone interview on Dec. 20, West said attending UC Davis was never something he considered
before this year because of the fact it was “too close to home.”
“I didn't want to be so close to home at first, but I realized that Davis is far enough away that I can have my
own life and still be able to come home on the weekends,” West said. “I just never gave (UC Davis) a
chance. I kind of decided that I wasn't going to Davis before I actually made my decision.”
*
West fell in love with the idea of being an Aggie during a visit to the Davis campus. West said he was
impressed with the coaching staff as well as the other wrestlers, some of which he knows well from time he
spent on the National High School Coaches Association Junior Nationals team that represented California.
“I love the guys on the team. A lot of the incoming freshman I know real well,” West said. “I was really just
loving it there; I felt connected.”
West is also looking forward to joining his close friend on the Aggies roster, sophomore Barrett Abel from
Union Mine High School.
“He's always been like a mentor to me,” West said. “I'm excited to wrestle with him on the same team.”
The visit to UC Davis came after those similar at Cal Poly, Northwestern and Nebraska of which the
decision was ultimately narrowed down to because each school interested him in different ways.
Reassurance in the decision would come for West when the Aggies toppled Northwestern in a dual meet
at Davis, 23-15, when the Wildcats were ranked No. 10 in the nation at the time. West is confident that the
Aggies will continue to climb the ranks in college wrestling with the help of his and others in the coming
years.
“(Aggies' head coach Lennie Zalesky) explained the (potential) line-up to me and I just saw the how great
of an opportunity this was to be a championship team,” West said. “There are no holes in the team.”
Most would argue that there are no holes in West's wrestling prowess on the mat. He prides himself on
being the aggressor who is more physical and stronger then his opponent while maintaining a balance of
quickness and finesse. It is his drive inside that makes him a fierce competitor.
“I pretty much want to win everything,” West said. “I feel like second place isn't anything. If I don't win, I
haven't achieved my goal and losing just kills me. Losing motivates me because I never want to feel that
pain again.”
But simply beating his opponent is not enough.
“My mentality is that I don't like winning, I like dominating so know one can say ‘hey it was a close match,
maybe I'll beat him next time,” West said. “I want (my opponent) to be afraidŠI've coached myself to want
to be untouchable.”
Wrestling on the collegiate level will be his biggest test yet as West will put his body and mind through a
grueling test of endurance and will. But for a kid who is the leader of a youth group at his local church
which travels to Mexico to build houses for homeless families every Spring Break, failure is not an option.
“It's hard to never be satisfied, but that's what is making my stronger,” West said.
A wrestler of his potential will not be satisfied till he reaches the sport's highest honor which is to capture a
Gold Medal at the Olympics Games.
“When the year of 2016 comes around, I will be winning the Gold Medal at the Olympics,” West confidently
said.
But For now, West will try to lead the Trojans as they defend their league and Division II section titles
before moving to Davis' dorms next fall.
Story created Dec 30, 2008 - 17:07:33 PST.
| Oak Ridge wrestler West preparing for the next level at UCD By Andrew Eggers, Village Life correspondent |