Frank Gill Dominates the Mat
Frank Gill’s return to the wresting mat after a four-year hiatus was nothing short of spectacular. Gill, an eighteen-year-old senior, showed dominance on the wrestling mat in the 2005-06 season. At 250 pounds, he wrestled as a heavyweight and managed to rack up thirty-nine wins, in part because of his commanding stature and his deft use of moves, such as the headlock, that seem to come naturally to him.
Gill takes his success in stride. He is as modest about his accomplishments as he is imposing on the wrestling mat. According to Gill, his performance this season was part of the larger team effort. In fact, he has fawning praise for his fellow athletes on the First Colonial Patriots varsity wrestling team. “Whenever we needed a win,” he says, “we all came together to get it done. Regardless of other distractions, we put wrestling first.” The Patriots managed to compete well this season both within the district and against other teams from as far away as Northern Virginia.
As far as credit for his success, Gill doles it out elsewhere liberally. “My family has been a big influence on me,” he explains. “They have supported me and kept me going whenever I have needed a boost.”
Gill’s victories this past season are all the more impressive considering that the last time he suited up for an organized wrestling match was in the eighth grade. That year, he took second place in the city of Virginia Beach. But Gill did not spend the interim idly; two of those years he played football at First Colonial as a defensive end. What compelled his return? Curiosity more than anything, he explains. “I wanted to come out for wrestling to see if I still had what it takes. It didn’t hit me until I was actually out there that I could actually still do it. The guys I wrestle with were serious about it and that gave me a lot of drive to do well.”
Gill notes that wrestling is a sport that requires both mental and physical determination. “Clear focus is a big part of being successful,” he says. “You have to clear your mind of any distractions that can get in the way of winning on the mat.” Gill explains that potential obstacles come from all directions, both on and off the mat. The successful wrestler, however, minimizes the negative effects that distractions can cause.
Physically, wrestlers must be prepared to face off against opponents who have put in countless hours of training and often have years of experience. “You have to be ready for whatever comes your way,” says Gill. “It can be really intense, but you have to match that intensity if you are going to last for six minutes.”
When these two elements – mental and physical – mesh on the wrestling mat, the result is a competitiveness found in few other sports. “I find that I like the challenge of wrestling. It is an individual sport between two guys who have put in a lot of time. To me it is kind of like a battle between two people and only one of them will come out on top.”
Gill recently had an opportunity to wrestle at the 6th USAW-Virginia Challenge WrestleFest held in Norfolk, where he competed against a wrestler from Turner Ashby High School in Bridgewater, VA. This was somewhat of a lucky break for him. The wrestler who was supposed to be competing there, a state champion, was unable to. Who did the coaches call? Gill, of course. “I guess you can say I stepped up to the plate,” he says modestly.
Currently, Gill is exploring the possibilities of athletic scholarships. Although he has not ruled out any schools, he has his eye on two in particular, Old Dominion University and Limestone College in Gaffney, South Carolina. And since he plays two sports well – football and wrestling – he is poised to be an asset to whichever college program he joins. Athletics is not the only area, however, in which Gill aims high. Academically, he would like to pursue a business degree and explore entrepreneurship. “Maybe one day,” he says tongue-in-cheek, “I’ll be the next Donald Trump.”
