Beazley gives verbal to Old Dominion
9/28 - It’s commonly said that where you start is not important, but rather where you finish,
and that is a good theme for Detroit Catholic Central senior grappler Kevin Beazley, who
informed Michigan Grappler earlier this week that he has verbally committed to wrestle
for Old Dominion University following his senior season.
“I like how I interacted with the team, those guys will be my family for the next 5 years so
that was really important to me,” said Beazley who also noted the intensity of their
practices, “I got to watch a couple practices and in the room these guys are always
pushing each other and beating up on each other, I feel that just being there and fighting
everyday will get me where I need to be.”
For those who have followed Beazley over the past year or two, his commitment to a
big-time Division 1 program may not come as much of a surprise, after all he is a top
100 recruit in the country according to TheOpenMat.com and has thrived on the national
scene over the past two years. However, he has not always been that highly touted of a
prospect. He will be the first to admit that he was not the most dominant youth wrestler
and until last March he had never finished higher than 7th at the State Tournament.
“It’s a great feeling knowing that I worked my whole life to get here, I wasn’t the greatest as a little kid, and I feel blessed to be at this point in my career,” said Beazley.
After qualifying for the state tournament as a freshman and failing to place, then finishing 7th his sophomore season, Beazley has improved by leaps and bounds in terms of in-state and national success. He was a D1 State Runner-Up last year for DCC, a National Runner-Up at the FloNationals last March, a Fila Cadet Double All-American last spring, and a Junior Greco National Runner-Up last summer in Fargo.
“I have always worked really hard and built mental toughness but I think the biggest thing that has helped me improve is that I love the sport of wrestling and that is what helped me so much, I love it and I just love being around it,” said Beazley.
Following his sophomore season, Beazley moved from Farmington Hills Harrison High School to D1 powerhouse Detroit Catholic Central, a move that he says was big factor in his evolution as a wrestler.
“Moving to CC helped me so much just being in a high intensity training environment everyday has really pushed me to the extreme and going toe-to-toe with Coach Hancock (DCC Head Coach), an NCAA All-American, everyday has helped me so much to be a better wrestler.”
While committing to a big-time University suffices one of Beazley’s main goals, he still notes many objectives to shoot for during his senior season , including team and individual state titles, a FloNational Title, and Fargo National Titles. He also has big aspirations for his college career at ODU.
“My goal is to win as many NCAA titles as I can and if I am not winning titles then I want to be an All-American,” said Beazley, “The biggest things I have to improve on for folkstyle and college is finishing my leg attacks and getting off the mat. Not being able to get off the bottom cost me a state title last year and it is something I have really been working on.”
It’s not where you start that matters, it’s where you finish – and Kevin Beazley doesn't seem to be anywhere near being finished.
KEVIN BEAZLEY IS WRESTLING AT THE GRAPPLER FALL CLASSIC - - ARE YOU?
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