05/04/2026
This year has been a weird one.
When it comes to my health and competing, it’s been up and down. It has tested me in ways I didn’t expect. But at the same time, it has also been one of the most fruitful years of my life.
I’ve gotten to pour into young wrestlers.
I’ve gotten to watch my son grow.
And soon, we’ll be bringing a baby girl into the world.
So even though this season has been frustrating, it hasn’t been wasted.
This will be only the second time since 2017 that I won’t be competing at the World Team Trials. I sustained an injury at the Open and will be off the mat for the next 1–2 months.
For almost a decade, I’ve been chasing the opportunity to represent our country. I’ve had years where I can honestly say I didn’t do everything I needed to do. I’ve had years where I gave everything I had and still came up short.
But this year has probably been the hardest one to process.
Not because I wasn’t motivated. I was.
Not because I didn’t want it. I did.
I just couldn’t get momentum rolling. Every time I felt like I was starting to build, something set me back. Most of it was injury-related. And honestly, I think some of the little nagging things I ignored or pushed through for years finally caught up with me.
That’s hard to admit, but it’s the truth.
But I also believe God doesn’t waste anything.
This year has taught me patience. It has taught me to stop trying to control what isn’t mine to control. It has reminded me that my identity can’t be built only on whether I’m winning, competing, or standing on top of a podium.
Wrestling is a huge part of my life, but it’s not my god.
I still believe I have more in me. I still believe the best is ahead. But right now, my job is simple: get healthy, be present for my family, be there for my wife as we bring our baby girl into this world, keep pouring into the kids I coach, and trust that God is still working even when things don’t look the way I planned.
I know a lot of people are dealing with their own version of this. Injuries. Setbacks. Disappointment. Feeling like you were close and then life just punched you in the mouth.
I get it.
But I also believe this: a setback doesn’t mean God is done with you. Sometimes it’s just part of the work He’s doing in you.
I’m bummed. I’m frustrated. But I’m also thankful.
I’ll heal up. I’ll keep showing up. I’ll keep trusting God’s plan.
The best is yet to come.
