Courtesy Photo | Staff Sgt. David Arendt Jr., a wrestler on the All-Marine Wrestling Team, receives the...... read more read more
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Staff Sgt. David Arendt Jr. from Headquarters and Support Battalion, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, was named the 2013 Male Athlete of the Year aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Feb. 3.
His relentless efforts as a wrestler on the All- Marine Wrestling Team and as a member of the Olympic Training Team have launched him to an elite level in his sport.
“I never thought I would be where I am at right now,” explained Arendt. “I didn’t think I would pursue wrestling past high school.”
Currently ranked second on Team USA at 120 kilo grams, with two gold medals at the Armed Forces Championship in Greco Roman and Freestyle wrestling, a first place finish at the 2013 National Championships, and a long list of other achievements, Arendt has come a long way since first stepping on the mat.
Beginning wrestling at an early age, Arendt knew the sport would be nothing short of challenging.
“I started wrestling when I was in the sixth grade and I knew it was a tough sport. I wanted to challenge myself,” said Arendt.
Marines work as a team to accomplish a mission, but wrestling gives Arendt an opportunity to push himself to the limit as an individual and hold the pressure on himself.
“You have teammates and coaches who help you progress and are there for you, but in this sport you have no one to blame but yourself,” said Arendt. “At the end of the day, it is about how much effort you put in on the mat, how many extra workouts, how much extra running you put in. It is all on you.”
Growing up on a farm in Port Washington, Wis., gave him valuable lessons that would take him to the elite limits for not only the country he serves, but the sport he loves so much.
“The way I was raised taught me to never stop working until the job was done and I think that has correlated into wrestling for me,” said Arendt.
Although nowadays wrestling consumes most of his time, Arendt wasn’t always hitting the mats. With one deployment to Iraq and two to Afghanistan as an infantry unit leader, Arendt remains humble about his accomplishments both as a Marine and a wrestler.
“He is the constant professional, someone you can always count on,” said Jason Loukides, the head coach for the All-Marine Wrestling team. “He is what everyone on the team wants to emulate.”
Although Arendt has many accomplishments in both his military and his wrestling career, he still has goals set for himself and there is no time to waste.
“I still don’t have a world Olympic medal, so I still don’t feel like I have gotten the job done. I will continue to push myself until I can get to that level.”
“He works hard to represent professional athletes and professional warriors and he balances that very well, which has made him a leader on the team,” said Loukides.
Arendt reminds Marines and athletes that a person’s success lies only in their own hands.
“Excuses don’t get you medals” said Arendt.
| Date Taken: | 02.14.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 02.19.2014 10:19 |
| Story ID: | 120812 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Hometown: | PORT WASHINGTON, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 479 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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