Marcus Pedde, the talented senior wrestler at Cumberland County High School, keeps a list of things next to his bed so that he can look at it every day when he wakes up and when he goes to sleep. It is not a list of homework assignments, it is not a list of phone calls he has to make. It is not even a “To Do” list for the following day at school.
Rather, Pedde’s list is more motivational. The son of Ralph and Tracy Pedde is one of the premier wrestlers in the region, if not the state, and reminding himself of just what he needs to do to help him be successful has served him well.
“I wake up every day and look at my goals I have written on a piece of paper near my bed,” Pedde said. “The list includes don’t let your opponent score any points in the match, score the first points of the match, don’t get taken down in the match and, my primary goal is to go to the state championships.
“They’re the first thing I look at when I get out of bed in the morning and it’s the last thing I look at when I go to bed.”
Unofficially, Pedde has 21 wins on the season and is currently preparing to compete on Senior Night, Jan. 31, against Rhea County and Livingston Academy at CCHS.
The weigh-in is tentatively scheduled for 4:30 p.m. He, along with the other members of the Senior Class, provide the Jets with key leadership.
Pedde’s love affair with wrestling actually started as a way to stay in shape for football season.
“I started playing football, but I got into wrestling, and I started liking it more than I thought I would,” Pedde said.
“They brought in some new coaches, and they’re amazing. The environment in the wrestling program is the best, the players are great.
“This sport is so competitive and difficult, but that’s what makes it fun. There is a real brotherhood about this team, and I think you can gain some real world knowledge being a part of this sport.”
And Pedde caught on to the sport quickly. His development on the mat since his sophomore season has been stunning. To get there, he has spent hours in the weight room and on the mat practicing moves.
“When I first saw Marcus, I saw someone who was new to the sport,” Cumberland County Coach Brad Eich said.
“I knew Marcus previously because I coached him in football. I knew he was a hard worker and he was dedicated to the team. So, I knew he would put in the hard work needed to have success.
“He has enjoyed some success this year, but that success has come from a lot of hours of hard work. He was here at every open mat we had during the summer and those started at 5 a.m. He is good with his teammates and he is a very good kid.”
Pedde said he flips a switch in his head when he gets into a match. He said he relies on his instincts and his vast knowledge of wrestling moves to take down his opponent.
“He wrestles hard, and that can go a long way,” Eich said.
“He just won’t be denied. He has developed a strong skill-set and he has a list of moves that work for him. Hard work will go a long way for you.”
And it has been a good year for Pedde and the Jets.
“I think the year is progressing well,” he said.
“I come in every day and feel like I work hard. My attacking has gotten better, my defense has gotten better, but I still have a lot I can get better at. I feel like we’re doing really well as a team, these guys come in every day to get better. If we clean a few things up, I feel like we can be contenders.”
So far this season, Pedde has been a contender. He has been able to cross off things on the checklist he keeps near his bed, one by one.
Hopefully, come February, he will be able to check off one more thing at the state championship.
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