By Derrick Smith

When an athlete chooses to focus on just one sport, that gives them the ability to shut out all the other things and make sure that the one sport gets all their attention so they can be the best they can be at it. Preston Lee is one of those athletes that decided to focus on just one sport.

“I used to play other sports but decided to quit those to focus on just wrestling and make that my main focus,” he said. “I started wrestling when I was about five-years old, and I have always loved doing it.”

Preston is a junior at Ponca City High School. He says he has a lot of role models in the wrestling world, and he looks up to them because of their success and how they handle themselves.

“Some of my biggest role models are Shelby Wilson and Daton Fix,” he stated. “Shelby Wilson is one of Ponca City’s hometown Olympic gold medalists and has come into the room and shown us some things. Daton Fix, in my opinion, is one of the best wrestlers to come through Oklahoma State University. They are both really good examples of what you can do when you put your mind to something.”

While wrestling obviously requires a lot of physical preparation, Lee says that the mental preparation is just as important if not more. 

“I think wrestling is more of a mental sport than it is physical,” he stated. “It takes a lot to perform at your highest while not physically there.”

As a student in the classroom, Preston has learned from a lot of different teachers. He says that out of all of them, there is one that is his favorite. 

“My favorite teacher is probably my U.S. history teacher, coach Ryan,” he said. “I think it’s because he teaches the class very well. He understands the stresses of being an athlete, especially in wrestling, and will help me if I’m struggling to keep up with work.”