Dec. 9, 2004
The city of Columbia, is not large by most standards, with a population of a little over 79,000 people. Students who come to the University of Missouri-Columbia from a small town however, come to a city that is much bigger than the place in which they grew up. Little towns are marked by their hospitality, as well as the comforting reality that almost everyone a person meets is a familiar face. That's not the case on a college campus, and it makes the transition from high school to college a little bit more difficult for those students.
Freshman 174 pound wrestler Joey Garrity is from Orion, Ill., a town of 1,713 people, and is often struck by the differences between his hometown and Columbia.
"Sometimes I feel a little bit like a fish out of water," Garrity said. "I'm used to driving around and waving at everybody I pass. When I'm walking around campus in-between classes, it's different not knowing who people are."
Even though the change has been difficult at times, Garrity is flourishing in his new surroundings.
One of the biggest reasons for his ability to adapt to a new environment is his decision to join the wrestling team at Missouri. Unlike other freshmen wrestlers, the Tiger coaching staff didn't recruit Garrity. He decided to walk on, an experience very different from that of many of his freshmen teammates.
"Since I wasn't recruited, I didn't really know anybody, and I didn't know what to expect," Garrity said.
His decision to walk-on was based on his love for the sport of wrestling, which began when one of his buddies told him to come out for the team in grade school. He picked the sport up quickly. After a career at Orion High School, in which he finished with a 116-26 record, he felt a need to stay on the mat.
"I decided that since I put so much time into the sport in high school," Garrity said, "I should continue to wrestle at a high level."
His decision has paid off. Although he will most likely redshirt the season, he has already adapted to the differences between high school and college wrestling. The biggest change has been the level of intensity and the time dedicated to the sport. Whereas in high school a small portion of the day is devoted to wrestling, a collegiate athlete's life centers around their sport.
Part of the improvements he's already made as a wrestler can be ascribed to the talent around him. Missouri's current starter at 174 pounds is Ben Askren, an All-American who placed second at last year's NCAA wrestling championships. Garrity says that he's learned a lot from Askren, but he looks outside of his own weight class for guidance as well.
"I try to learn from everybody in the room," Garrity said.
He believes that although he is a strong wrestler when in control of his opponent on the mat, he still knows he can improve in many areas.
That determination to become a better wrestler is sure to improve the Missouri wrestling team as a whole. Although a walk-on, his dedication to the sport and desire to succeed ensure that Joey Garrity will be an essential component to the program. Even though Columbia may never provide the advantages of life in a small town, it is certain that Garrity will be comfortable competing in a sport he began in grade school.
--Joel Erickson