Keaton Subjeck – Oak Ridge HS

Q: Why Stanford? Considering you have the grades, why not Cornell, Penn or even Lehigh?
A: When I stepped on the Stanford campus, I felt at home.  The atmosphere of the school is amazing and everyone is laid back.  The coaching staff is awesome, and the program has the potential to take flight.  I believe Stanford can open a door of endless possibilities for my future – it’s the perfect school for me.

Q: Do you have a ritual you do before a wrestling match?
A: Not really. If I haven’t wrestled for a couple of hours, I’ll usually do a few sprints to open up my lungs and get the blood flowing again.  Other than that, I generally warm up like everyone else before the match.

Q: At any moment this season did you imagine yourself being ranked so high in the nation?
A: Not initially. But I gained a lot of confidence after placing at Super 32. I proved to myself that I belonged with the toughest guys in the nation.

Q: What are your goals for State in March?
A: My goal is to be a state champion. Raising the bar and believing you can achieve a goal is essential. It’s tougher to win a California state title than any other state championship, and it takes a lot of mental toughness and confidence to battle your way through the bracket. But I believe I can get my hand raised on that finals mat.

Q: Were you born into a wrestling family or were you introduced into the sport as a young child?
A: I wasn’t exactly born into a wrestling family.  My grandpa wrestled, but he was given the nickname “Canvas Back.” The mats used to be made out of canvas, so you get the idea of how good he was. I was introduced into the sport by a family friend when I was in 4th grade and I have loved it since.

Q: Who has been the toughest opponent you have wrestled?
A: Cody Wiercioch has been my toughest opponent. He stays in very good position and he never stops wrestling. Cody is so successful because it seems like he is always one step ahead of you; he switches off moves effectively and he knows how to scramble.

Q: What are your goals for the future?
A: My goal is to be an NCAA Champion at Stanford. I want to graduate with a biology or medical engineering major, but I’m not exactly sure what I want to do for a career after college. I will continue to surround myself with wrestling, as this sport has shaped who I am as a person.

Q: Was the most memorable moment in your High School Career?
A: My most memorable moment was definitely at state my sophomore year. I was in the top 12 and I had to beat Coleman Hammond for a spot on the podium. When I won and walked off the mat, I couldn’t believe it. I realized how great it feels to surpass my goals and see the results of hard work and sacrifice. I will always remember that feeling (no offense Coleman).

Q: What are the best methods for cutting weight?
A: Cutting weight can be a really simple concept. However, I have never made drastic 20 pound cuts or anything crazy like that.  I switch my diet to 6 healthy meals per day, and I run in the morning.  When you workout in the morning, it speeds up your metabolism and makes it easier to burn and digest food.  Your weight doesn’t fluctuate and you can actually eat quite a bit more throughout the day since you are burning so many calories. The most important thing to remember is to stick to healthy foods like vegetables, brown rice, chicken breast, fruits, etc.  Your body leans out and you don’t need to starve yourself to make weight.

Q: What’s the atmosphere like in the Oak Ridge wrestling room?
A: Our wrestling room is very close and we enjoy our time together. We try to stay as positive as possible, and we pick each other up when someone is having a bad day. The best thing about our room is that we are always pushing each other. I was lucky to have partners that pushed me everyday, and we saw improvement in our wrestling every day. Also, I couldn’t have asked for a better coach throughout my high school career. Coach Rhyan is so approachable and he always has a positive attitude. One of the best things about Coach is that he relates to me so well. He has been around wrestling his whole life and he understands the sport as much as anyone. If I’m having problems with anything in life, I can talk to him and he understands me; he always has the perfect solution. It’s very rare to find a coach like him, and it will be difficult to move on with my career without Coach Rhyan in my corner.

Q: What’ your favorite food in the off season?
A: Definitely ice cream. I could honestly eat ice cream everyday and not get sick of it.

Q: Favorite TV show?
A: The Walking Dead. I look forward to this show every Sunday night.

Q: What music do you like to listen to?
A: I listen to a lot of different types of music. Eminem is probably my favorite artist, but I also enjoy listening to Rock/Alternative.

Q: Favorite place in the world to go on vacation?
A: Hawaii. I love the beach and the ocean, and someday I want to live on the water.

Q: Something you would like everyone to know about you?
A: This sport has had an unbelievable impact on my life, and it has shaped who I am as a person. All of my life lessons and ideals have been formed from the sacrifice, hard work, and dedication of wrestling. It has taught me that overcoming adversity can be the most valuable quality anyone can have. You learn to fight through the pain during hard times, but eventually you will rise from the ashes and see the results of hard work. I love wrestling and I would not trade it for anything in the world.