Phoenix freshman Cameron Nguyen embodies the spirit of a great athlete. Despite being one of the youngest members of the varsity wrestling team, he refuses to get intimidated. Instead, he sees his lack of experience as an opportunity to push himself harder, be better, and be a role model to other young athletes. Nguyen approaches each practice session with dedication, seeking ways to improve his technique and strength, contributing to his overall development and performance in other aspects as well.

While he’s made a new home for himself on the mat, wrestling is not the only sport Nguyen plays and is seriously committed to. In the fall, he played for the Phoenix  JV football team. “Another sport I enjoy is football,” Nguyen said. “I play a lot of football, so I joined wrestling to stay fit for the football season.”

Nguyen knows that wrestling involves a lot of hard work, but also enjoys the new environment of being at the varsity level. “I like it a lot more than JV, it’s a lot more competitive, and way more fun,” Nguyen said. 

The journey to wrestling wasn’t an easy one. It took a lot of sweat and effort, as well as various practice and conditioning sessions. “Well, it’s a lot,” Nguyen said. “We have to do a lot of conditioning, which is always super tiring. The workouts are super tough too, but you have to tell yourself to keep pushing. It definitely is a lot, but it’s always worth it when you get your hand raised.” 

Nguyen hasn’t thought about continuing wrestling after high school “Probably not, but I think it could be a fun experience,” Nguyen said. However, as he continues to hone his wrestling skills, Nguyen is undoubtedly driven by passion and determination to continue his journey through his next few years at the Rock.