Collin Dozier is an Inspiration to Falcons
Cox high school senior Collin Dozier has a lot to reflect on as he begins his final season with his team.
"You know when your young and you want to do something your father did," said Dozier. "When I was six I saw my dad looking through some old wrestling things and asked him when I could wrestle."
After that conversation, Dozier says his father got him into the Great Neck Wrestling Club, known today as the Cox Wrestling Club. There he learned the basics of wrestling and with the support of his family he began to compete.
"My dad would drive me all over the place," said Dozier. "We'd go to special camps and major tournaments together. One place took an hour to drive to and my dad would take me three to four times a week."
With his father and family behind him Dozier felt confident entering his first middle school match; the result of which changed his life for forever. After winning his first match Dozier was hooked, he impressed everyone that year by winning a state title. His accomplishments didn't end there; Dozier would later go on to win three more state titles making him the first middle school student to win four titles consecutively.
"I've coached him since he was about nine," said Cox Wrestling Head Coach Cory Williams. "He's always been pretty goal oriented even to this day."
With his final high school season in front of him Dozier is ready to show everyone what he's capable of; kicking things off with his championship win in the biggest preseason tournament around, the Super 32 Tournament. Dozier placed first in his 130 lbs weight division this year and last.
This is a huge achievement for Dozier, however, it hales in comparison to his real goal for the year.
"I've waited 12 years for my senior year and now I have a chance to do something amazing," said Dozier.
This year Dozier is going for his fourth state championship win; a feat that hasn't been achieved at Cox since 1972. With the season just beginning Dozier seems to be heading in the right direction with 15 wins, zero loses, and 12 of the 15 wins being pins.
"For me there's nothing like wrestling," said Dozier. "No other sport puts you head to head like this with all the responsibility falling on your shoulders."
The competition, Dozier says, is what he loves and after this year he will receive plenty more of it. Dozier has recently signed with Michigan State University (MSU) and is ready to wrestle against some of the toughest wrestlers in the country.
"It's my number one college pick," said Dozier. "The only problem is the distance away from home and the cold but I'll adjust."
With a full five year ride and some of the best wrestling partners in the country, Dozier says that he is very happy to be going there. In addition to all of this, MSU has just added a new Athletic Academic Center that will help athletes with their school work to keep them focused and ahead. When he leaves for college Dozier says he will remember everything he's learned over the years.
"I still remember my toughest match," Dozier said. "It was the last match standing in my way of being a USA Triple Crown winner."
To win Triple Crown honors in middle school a wrestler has to win three styles of wrestling on the National level.
"I had an asthma attack in the middle of my last match and had to push through it," said Dozier. "I ended up pinning the other guy and running over to the trainers for my inhaler, it was the hardest match I ever won; I didn't think I could do it."
Dozier's determination to win and his attitude everyday effects the whole mood of his team; and in some ways makes them work harder.
"He's inspiration to the rest of the guys," said Williams. "They look over and see how hard he's working and it makes them work just as hard if not harder."
Leaving will no doubt be hard for Dozier but he says he can't wait to come back over holiday breaks and share what he's learned with his old team.
"It's all about bettering yourself and your team," said Dozier. "When I come back over break next year I'll be right there practicing with my old team again, helping them get better."
