Although wrestling wasn’t on Jayden Lee’s radar, his love for football and a word in his ear from Coach Cherard Freeman led him to the mat. He took to the sport like a duck to water.
Lee isn’t the biggest guy around—he wrestles at 126 pounds and started in football as a wide receiver and cornerback at 132 pounds—but he’s one of Bryan County’s few four sport letter winners. No mean accomplishment considering his size.
In addition to football and wrestling, Lee plays soccer and is a pole vaulter in track. As a junior he started on the football team which advanced to the Final Four of the Class A-D1 state playoffs and last spring he qualified for the state track meet in the pole vault. As a sophomore he qualified for the traditional state wrestling tournament and his freshman year the Redskins soccer team reached the second round of the state playoffs.
“He’s just a tough, hard-working kid…he embodies toughness,” Freeman said after the Redskins final football game of the season last fall. “In four years, he was never late for a meeting, never missed a practice or a session in the weight room. A really positive influence and a good athlete.”
“Coach Freeman told me it would make me a better football player,” Lee said. “I really wanted to play and continue my football career for the next three years. I wanted to do anything to make me better.
Weather permitting, Lee will be wrestling in his final home match at 5 p.m. Friday when the Redskins host Glenn Hills. The match was scheduled for this past Wednesday but was postponed because of the weather.
Following the recent Area 3-A Duals (team) tournament, Lee and his teammates have turned their focus to the upcoming Area 2-A traditional (individual) area tournament which will be held Feb. 1 at Jeff Davis.
“I want to get back to state,” Lee said. “I just missed last year and it was devastating. It reminded me of my freshman year when I needed one more win to advance to the sectional and I didn’t get it.
“That’s what kept me going in wrestling. It broke my heart. It’s now my favorite sport and I want to wrestle in college.”
Lee is going to get that chance as he currently has offers from Emmanuel University in Franklin Springs, Ga., and Waynesburg (Pa.) University. He said he is leaning toward Emmanuel but has not yet made a final decision.
The route to the state tournament, which will be held at the Macon Centreplex Feb. 13-15, is a difficult grind. The top four from the area tournament advance to the sectional on Feb. 8 at Social Circle and from there the top eight advance to Macon.
“The thing I learned from making it to the state two years ago is that everybody is in,” Lee said. “They’re all good and you just have to keep going or they’re going to beat you. I feel like I learned a lot and I think I can come back and do better this year.”
Lee won all three of his matches by pin in the area dual—the Redskins finished third with the top two teams advancing to state—to run his record to 24-4.
“I think I can make it to sectional,” Lee said. “I’ve wrestled against these guys all year and held my own. Sectional will be tough.”
The Redskins have wrestled this year under first-year coach Ryan Collier who took over two weeks before the season started when Zach Ledbetter, who started the program five years ago, resigned from teaching and coaching.
Lee said it was not a big adjustment for him.
“He’s been my football coach for three years,” Lee said. “I know how consistent and persistent he is while keeping us going and not letting us slack off any. And I’m still with Coach Tarzan (assistant coach Brysen Collier, the coach’s son) who has been my pole vault coach for three years. They’re terrific people and good coaches.”