Cary Wrestler Pounds the Mat and Hits the Books With Extra Effort

CARY — At 215 pounds, Cary High School's Chris Tobin has won over 150 matches in his career for the always-powerful Imps wrestling team.

The four-year wrestler is tough. He is aggressive and loves to win.

"I hate to lose. I can't stand it. It's the worst thing, the worst feeling," Tobin says.

Coach Jerry Winterton loves Tobin's competitive spirit. "He's got a mean streak in him that you like out of your wrestlers," says Winterton. "When he wrestles, he has that determination that he wants to win. He's one of those few guys that has that extra competitiveness in him, and that's what makes him excel."

Tobin agrees. "What drives me is, I want to know I'm the best person around in my weight class. I want to know that I can beat anybody that steps on the mat," he says.

Tobin is no island, though. "There's nothing better than having a team to back you up that's got the same technique as you, goes through the same kind of hard practices, and has the same goals. I mean everybody on the team wants to be a state champ," he says.

Tobin is a B student who recognizes the importance of what he accomplishes outside the gym.

"Colleges don't just look at wrestling, they look at what your academics are like as well, because if you can't do the book work, obviously you won't make it in college," Tobin says. "I try and take that same attitude into the class."

His teachers appreciate that attitude and so do his peers.

"A lot of students will choose to work with him because they know he's going to get the job done," says teacher Emi Tarleton. "When we do big projects and thing like that, he's definitely sought after."

Senior Chris Tobin is the winner of this week's Extra Effort Award. Tom Suiter's Extra Effort award airs Wednesdays during WRAL's 6:00 News.

Do you have a nomination for the Extra Effort Award?Mail us your suggestions.