By Elizabeth Contreras

VYPE: What grade are you in and what weight class do you wrestle in?
Zay Holt: I am a sophomore, and I wrestle at 144 pounds.

VYPE: How did you first get into wrestling, and what made you stick with it?
ZH: I got into wrestling at a young age of four thinking it was a fun sport. I wanted to quit many times, but every year I went back.

VYPE: What do you love most about the sport of wrestling?
ZH: I love how it makes a team a family and how people can grow. How it builds respect for one another.

VYPE: Wrestling is known for being both physically and mentally tough — what motivates you to push through the hard days?
ZH: My wrestling partner Wyatt Wilkinson has helped me out. He has always been there, and I consider him a brother.

VYPE: Walk us through a typical week of training for you — what does preparation look like?
ZH: We start off with a light warm up, a little bit of jogging. Then we move into foot work and hand fighting, slowly getting more intense. After everything, we live wrestle for about 30 minutes and run for about eight and we have two-and-a-half hour practices.

VYPE: Do you have any pre-match rituals or routines that help you lock in?
ZH: I try to stay positive and listen to music, and I try to talk so I don’t become too nervous for the match.

VYPE: What’s one lesson wrestling has taught you that you’ll carry into life outside the sport?
ZH: One lesson is to have respect and to not give up no matter what.

VYPE: What goals are you chasing this season, both individually and as a team?
ZH: My goals are to become a better leader for the wrestling team and to make it to state.

VYPE: If you could wrestle any athlete (past or present) for the experience, who would it be and why?
ZH: I would say my coach, Coach Gum. He seems like a very tough person to wrestle.