By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current
Grady Hull & Head Coach Tom Rusk
It was at the Geneseo High School wrestling meet against Dixon when GHS senior Grady Hull reached a goal he set for himself in his freshman year.
He recalled the night when he reached 100 wrestling match wins at the home meet and said, “It happened at home (at GHS), and they turned the lights back on (in the gym as lights are off during the matches with the exception of the spot lights on the wrestling matches taking place) and the coaches came out on the mat with my banner and it really just hit me that one of the goals I have had since I got to high school had finally come true.”
Hull, the son of Matt and Tricia Hull, said another goal he reached that he had set for himself was being able to compete at the State level…”My favorite wrestling memory would definitely have to be from my freshman year and getting fourth at State and the whole team just being so excited, holding the trophy in the air,” he said. “It was just a surreal moment.” He added that his new goal is “to be standing on that podium at State.”
When asked about wrestling being considered an individual sport, Hull replied, “Although it is an individual sport, we sort of have a brotherhood in that room and everyone is always there for each other and want the best for each other, so we are always cheering each other on.”
The grappler, who currently wrestles in the 157-lb. weight class, became involved in wrestling when he was in fourth grade…”I chose the sport mainly because my dad really wanted me to try it, and I just fell in love with it from that point on.”
Grady is not the only wrestler in the Hull family as his younger brother, Dawson Hull, a sophomore at GHS, is also on the wrestling team, and his younger sister, Hazel, fourth grader at Northside Elementary School, is in the Blue Line Training Academy, with which Grady also had been involved.
Wrestling has been an important part of Hull’s high school years and he said, “Wrestling means so much to me and I have gained so many friendships through the sport, and not even all from my school…You just build such strong bonds with so many people by having the crazy mindset and work ethic that you need to be a wrestler. My coaches have definitely had an impact on my career and my success, just by being there for me, even when I am in a tough spot or really having trouble coming back from a loss…Just always being in my corner and wanting the best for me, no matter what!”
Hull said his plans after graduating from high school this year are to continue wrestling while attending a four-year university to study software or mechanical engineering…”I am not sure where yet, still exploring my options.”
SOME FUN QUESTIONS GRADY HULL ANSWERED:
ADVICE FOR YOUNG WRESTLERS – “My advice for young wrestlers would definitely have to be stick with it even though it sucks at times, because you will be extremely grateful that you pushed through all the hard practices when you get to be older and a more experienced high school wrestler because of it.”
FAVORITE FOOD – “Steak Tacos.”
MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO AFTER WRESTLING SEASON – “The thing I am most looking forward to would have to be the day where all of us wrestlers get together and hang out all day, get food and just have a great day together…really just experiencing how great of a brotherhood we have built over the years.”
