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Pam Pack senior Bryant Smith took up wrestling after he didn’t make the basketball team as a seventh-grader at P.S. Jones Middle School. The Greenville native, who moved to Washington for fifth grade is now planning on his fourth trip to the individual state tournament and thinks the team can make it also.

1. When did you start wrestling?

Bryant: P.S. Jones was starting a wrestling team my seventh-grade year and Coach Crystal told me I needed to be part of it after I didn’t make the basketball team. I liked practice okay, but lost my first match. I won my second one and that’s when I learned what a pin was. I had the guy on his back and the ref slapped the mat. I loved that sound and have kept going since then.

2. Wrestling is physically demanding sport and one that requires dietary discipline. How do you make sure you always make the required weight and stay strong at the same time?

Bryant: I’ve learned that proper nutrition is everything. I don’t snack between meals and I don’t eat pizza. I love it, but nobody can have just one slice, so I stay away from it. I eat a lot of chicken and rice and try to get the most nutrition from every calorie. I try to eat three solid meals a day with nothing in between. I’m in the 165 lb. class now, so I try to stay as close to that as possible. Cutting weight close to a match is not fun, so I try to stay close to the same all the time.

3. You are off to a great start after placing sixth at the state meet last year and the team has only lost one match so far. What the key to this team’s success?

Bryant: We’ve all worked hard over the summer and every day in practice to improve our strength and technique. We have a great bond with each other and try to make each other better every day. Our freshman class is really strong and we have depth at every weight class, which makes practice very competitive. Also, Coach (assistant Carl) Perry has taken a bigger role this year and he’s helped us a lot with drills and technique.

4. You won your 100^th career match earlier this season. What does it mean to you?

Bryant: I’m proud of it because not a lot of others have done it here. I think it means that I’m consistent and show up every day doing what I have to do to improve. It’s pretty cool and I’m grateful to my coaches for helping me get there.

5. What are your plans after graduation?

Bryant: To hopefully wrestle in college somewhere. UNC-Pembroke, Mount Olive and Ferrum (Va.) have shown the most interest. I plan on majoring in biology or human science to become a personal trainer or nutritionist. Wrestling got me interested in that and I’d like to stay around sports in some capacity.

Bonus question: What is the best Christmas gift you’ve given and received?

Bryant: My parents gave me the newest iPhone when I was in sixth grade. My mom loves (decorative) chickens, so I got her some metal ones last year to put in our garden.