A late start in wrestling pays off

Three years ago, Germantown Academy's Chuck Boddy wasn't even a wrestler.

Two years ago, he tried the sport for the first time and won four more matches than he lost.

Last week, about five weeks ahead of his senior season, Boddy orally committed to wrestle at Bucknell for college.

Wait, rewind. Three years in the sport, a career 57-23 record and a scholarship offer? How?

Boddy, a heavyweight who picked up the sport uncharacteristically late - many join the wrestling fraternity before the age of 10 - garnered just one Division I scholarship offer. Bucknell didn't begin courting him until mid-September, and he went on an official visit to the Lewisburg, Pa., school the first weekend in October.

Last Wednesday, he accepted the program's offer, improbably landing at a D-I program after just three years and 74 career matches. Most top-flight recruits have double the number of wins than Boddy's total matches.

So how did he land one of Bucknell's seven wrestling scholarships? Upside. Sheer upside.

"You're talking about going from not knowing the rules two years ago - not sure when you can lock your hands, when you can't - to now," GA head coach Stephen Hill said.

Boddy broke out in his junior year, amassing a 37-13 record, leading the Patriots to the Inter-Ac league title and garnering first-team league honors himself. He was one round short of medaling at both the prestigious Beast of the East tournament - one of the country's finest - in Newark, Del., and at the National Prep Wrestling Championships.

Until Bucknell came calling, Boddy was looking mostly at Johns Hopkins, where he thought he could play Division III football as a lineman. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Bucknell coach Dan Wirnsberger invited him for a visit. Two weeks later, Boddy was offered a spot on the team.

"I love it up there. It was awesome," Boddy said. "It felt like an easy decision."

Boddy, who weighed in last year at 268 pounds, began his wrestling career simply using his size and power to lean on opponents. Technique and strategy, forget about it. But since wrestling to a 14-10 record as a sophomore, Boddy made significant strides as a junior.

"If Chuck does get beat, he comes off the mat wanting to figure out what went wrong and where he can get better," Hill said. "He doesn't come off emotionally upset or worried about the silly things. He's worried about the right things to fix for the next time."

This week, Boddy began arriving at school before class to start his conditioning plan for the impending season. After school, he attends football practice. He attributes all his success to Hill and his GA coaches.

"I guess people see the potential," Boddy said.