Stillwater’s Eli Wilson: Wrestling Spotlight Presented By Ortho Oklahoma

Stillwater High School’s Eli Wilson didn’t take the well-traveled path to the varsity wrestling team like many of his peers. Most wrestlers in Oklahoma grow up spending every Saturday in the winter going to tournaments from the first grade to middle school. Wilson wrestled at a young age, but didn’t spend much time chasing trophies.

“I started wrestling at the age of five, however I hardly ever competed until middle school. My freshman year was the first year I became part of an actual wrestling team,” said the senior.

This year, Wilson is wrestling at 195-pounds and is excited to be wrestling with some great teammates.

“The thing I love the most about my team is the lack of grudges and the abundance of support we have for one another. No matter where we go or what we do, we are a team,” said Wilson. “I expect Stillwater wrestling to fight hard at Dual State and I expect us to have many qualifiers for the State Tournament.”

As a student-athlete, Wilson works hard to maintain his grades which is not easy when you’re trying to pull off a perfect 4.0 GPA in all four years of high school.

“I have had straight A’s since freshman year which I wish to maintain through this last semester of high school. After graduation I have already been accepted to Oklahoma State University. I plan to maybe major in Multimedia Journalism,” said Wilson.

Wilson’s father has played a huge role in his life on and off the mat.

“As a wrestler himself, he has been a great teacher and supporter of me and the sport,” said Wilson.

When he steps off the mat for the final time, Wilson will take a plethora of memories with him.

“The thing all take away from this team and program the most is the process of success and failure. This has been the first year that I’ve gotten a decent amount of wins under my belt. I had to lose a lot of matches in order for that to happen. This sport has taught me things about life that school never could. Being a member of this team and getting to learn from these coaches has been a privilege I will never forget.”