BAM.
The sound of your opponent hitting the mat can only mean one thing: victory.
For Jared Davidson, this would be a victory by a landslide. The University of Michigan-Dearborn freshman took first in his weight class at the Mott Bear Open last semester, with a score of 4-0.
A double major in mechanical and bio-engineering, Davidson takes a more technical approach to the sport.
“Wrestling isn’t like other sports. It’s not just hand-eye coordination - your whole body is being used the entire time,” he said. “It’s more technical, more intense, it’s a completely different experience.”
For Davidson, what started out as rough-housing developed into a collegiate career five years later. After making the varsity wrestling team his freshman year of high school, Davidson developed a love for the sport and stayed on the team throughout his time at South Lyon High School.
After graduation, Davidson sought out an avenue to continue his passion and joined UM-Dearborn’s club wrestling team. But the transition to collegiate athlete wasn’t always an easy one to make.
“It’s a lot harder,” he said. “There is a lot less room for error. If you make a mistake, it can be crucial. I got pinned in my very first tournament. I hadn’t gotten pinned since high school.”
Davidson quickly got the hang of things. He finished the fall semester with a 9-1 record and earned a third-place finish at the Fall Brawl, in addition to his victory at the Mott Bear Open.
Now he’s working to build awareness about the program. Davidson hopes to encourage more wrestlers on campus to join the team, and he shares the importance and benefit of athletics with his campus community. “You develop a work ethic; you learn dedication. It’s what the sport commands of you,” he said. “It changes your mindset, your life. It’s a season-long sport, but you stay in the wrestling mindset all the time.”
Coach Grant MacKenzie agrees and says Davidson is a great ambassador for the sport.
“Jared Davidson is a leader. He takes everything seriously; whether it's schoolwork, practice or competition,” MacKenzie said. “I never have to worry about Jared being prepared because he has the discipline to achieve any goal he sets. He is every coach’s dream athlete.”
