Q&A // Cam Hobin, South Carroll, wrestling

South Carroll senior Cam Hobin defeated Glenelg's Brendan Conway in the 119-pound finals at the Class 2A-1A state meet. (Handout photo / March 16, 2008)

South Carroll senior Cam Hobin claimed the second state wrestling championship of his high school career last weekend, defeating Glenelg's Brendan Conway in the 119-pound finals at the Class 2A-1A state meet. It was a momentous day that many, including Hobin himself, thought would never come.

After claiming his first title as a freshman, Hobin was forced to miss his sophomore and junior seasons because of academics and other issues.

Hobin, however, has made major strides in turning things around, and even expects to earn a spot on his school's honor roll.

After two years away, how difficult was it for you to get back into shape this season?

It was actually kind of harder than I thought it would be, but I definitely also had to get my mind straight to focus toward a championship. It was a matter of pushing myself in practice and trying to get back into that shape I was in freshman year.

Had you competed at all during your time away from the team?

I did wrestle. I wrestled some individual tournaments for myself. I wrestled MAWAs [Middle Atlantic Wrestling Association district tournaments] and I did a couple little tournaments here and there, but nothing really too big because I was out of shape. I was trying to get back into the game.

At what point did you decide to give the varsity team another shot?

Definitely over the summer, because I didn't want to finish off my senior year without anything to go off of except my freshman year. It's a good achievement and everything, but it's not the same. I definitely wanted to wrestle all four years, but I made mistakes and I regret them every day. But I just needed to step up and take care of my business -- get on the wrestling team and get my grades up.

How tough was that for you? Was it basically a matter of changing the entire way you approached school?

Most definitely. I needed to have a positive attitude towards school and wrestling, and towards all my teachers and authority figures. I used to be kind of a troublemaker, but I've totally turned my head around. I've got good grades. I'm always nice to people, but I don't really have much of an attitude problem like "I hate the world" and all that. I'm actually a good student, and I got good comments from all my teachers.

Do you think any of the problems you experienced were in some way the result of achieving too much success too fast?

I don't know if it was that, but just getting caught up in high school life -- just making bad choices that I should have never made.

Was there anyone in particular who helped set you straight?

Definitely my parents were hardcore on me. Not too hardcore, but trying to get me where I wanted to go this year. They've always been pushing me for that since I was a little kid. From my opinion, pretty much, high school determines the rest of your life, and I decided to change my life around over the summer.

When you come to a decision like that, where do you start?

You start off slow, with baby steps. I started running every day, talking to people about wrestling tournaments and just pretty much getting my mind focused on what I wanted to do for my senior year.

Do you hope to go to college?

I definitely want to go to college. You only have one life, and I want to make something of it. I've always wanted to go to college since I was a little kid.

So at this point, is your job to convince colleges that you have changed and that you're serious about academics?

Pretty much, that's what it comes down to. Hopefully they take a notice that I've actually tried to turn my life around. If colleges would want me, and I got a chance to talk to them, I'd try and convince them that I've definitely changed. If I'm lucky enough, maybe they'll give me a chance to try.

How are you doing in school now?

Phenomenal. I'm going to be on the honor roll and I'm getting quite a bit of community service hours. Even though I don't have all of them right now, I will at the end of this year, and more than needed to graduate.

You'll be graduating on time with the rest of your class?

Yes.

Was there a point in time when you doubted that would happen?

Probably last year. I was kind of behind credits, and I thought I wasn't going to graduate. I had to buckle down. In sophomore year, I pretty much didn't really care anymore. I don't know why, but I got a little depressed for some reason. I didn't really care about anything. Even if I didn't want to wrestle, I still should have kept my grades up, but things happen. My junior year, I got into a little trouble ... but that's all done and gone.

Is this the best you've felt emotionally in a long time?

Yes. My senior year definitely feels a lot better than my freshman year. All the hard times I had to go through ... it means a lot more to me.

Related topic galleries: Wrestling, Colleges and Universities, Teaching and Learning

• CONSTRUCTION

• ARCHITECT

• DRIVER

• ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR

• AUDITOR - CPA - CONSULTANT

• View all Top Jobs