TAYLOR MCDANIEL | Reporter

This student athlete is a fifth-year senior at Lindenwood. Kyle Jolas is currently ranked as the No. 6 wrestler in the NCAA and is a two-time national qualifier.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqTpNP4rXmw[/embedyt]

Video by Taylor McDaniel

Bio

Name: Kyle Jolas

Age: 23

From: Huntington, Indiana

Year: Fifth-year senior

Major(s): Undergrad- exercise science. Masters: higher education with an emphasis in administration

Sport: Wrestling

Q&A

Q: When did you start playing your sport? How old were you?

A: “I started to wrestle when I was 4 years old.”

Q: How did you get started in your sport?

A: “My dad coached at the local high school ,and on any given day you could find me running around the high school wrestling room and wrestling with the high schoolers.”

Q: What is your biggest strength in your sport?

A: “My biggest strength can be attributed to my wrestling knowledge, strength and speed. By being bigger, faster and stronger than your opponent with a mindset in which you are thinking two or three moves ahead, you’re bound to find success.”

Q: What has been your biggest accomplishment in your sport?

A: “Qualifying for the NCAA Division II National Tournament on two separate occasions.”

Q: Why did you choose to play for Lindenwood?

A: “I chose to come to Lindenwood because of the rich wrestling tradition and small classroom sizes. When I stepped onto campus, I immediately felt at home, and I knew that Lindenwood had the resources in place for me to be successful in the classroom and on the wrestling mat.”

Q: What do you like most about your sport?

A: “I like how wrestling is one versus one. So you get out exactly what you put into it.  All of the life skills that I have acquired throughout wrestling are transferable to the real world once my wrestling career has ended.”

Q: Who do you look up to in your sport?

A: “I look up to my dad. Being a third-generation wrestler in my family, wrestling is more than a sport to me; it’s a way of life.”

Q: Do you have any game day rituals?

A: “My pre-match rituals started before I can actually remember, but right as the match before me ends, I like to shake all of my coaches’ hands and immediately prior to wrestling I have this little ritual where I slap certain parts of my body. I also like to wear the same stuff; socks, shorts and t-shirt-wise.”

Q: What are some of your favorite hobbies?

A: “In my free time I enjoy working out, watching movies, reading, playing outside with my dog Louden and trying different local coffee shops with my girlfriend.”

Q: Who is your favorite athlete?

A: “Peyton Manning or Tim Tebow. For me it goes beyond their athletic accomplishments; both men are phenomenal advocates for life outside of sports with their humanitarian mindset.”

Q” What is your favorite sports team?

A: “The Chicago Blackhawks”

Q: What keeps you motivated?

A: “Not accomplishing my goal of being a state champ in high school motivated me to set higher goals in college. Knowing that I have the ability to get better every single day keeps the fire burning. I am very self-motivated so I want to know that I have done everything possible to accomplish my goals.”

Q: What are three things you could not live without?

A: “A nice pair of blue jeans because they go with everything. A good book because every time I reread a book, I notice something that I didn’t prior. And lastly, my dog Louden because he truly makes me happy.”

Q: If you could have dinner with any three people, who would they be?

A: “Adam Sandler, simply because he is one of my favorite actors. My grandma; she passed when I was in the first grade, so being able to eat dinner with her one more time would be special. Albert Einstein; I have always been very interested in Einstein.”

Q: What is your favorite quote?

A: “’I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.’”

Q: Do you have any advice for young athletes?

A: “Perseverance is key. There are going to be high times and low times, but the biggest test of an individual’s character is how they can respond from those low times. Never settle for anything less than your best, and control the controllable.”

Q: What are your plans for after college?

A: “After college, I either plan to go back to school to pursue a doctorate of chiropractic or jump right into the work force.”