Strawberry Crest’s wrestling team is off to a good start, and part of the reason for the team’s overall success is senior D.J. Tice. Tice, who transferred from Plant City High, is making waves wrestling at 285 pounds, and won “Most Outstanding Wrestler” in his weight class at the Weeki Wachee Duals.
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How has the switch from Plant City to Crest been?
It’s been good. I’m really happy. The wrestling program took me in, made me one of their own. I feel like I’m part of a family. I’m a very friendly person, so whenever I got over here, I just made friends.
What are your goals for this wrestling season?
March 2 and 3, I hope to be in the state finals. After that, choose whichever college.
Any plans on that front? Have any programs been looking at you?
I have a lot of people looking at me, but my dream school for wrestling, I don’t know. Probably N.C. State.
What’s your favorite class at Crest?
I think it would be AP Lit. Mr. Young is a great teacher and he always makes things fun.
What’s the funniest thing that’s happened since you’ve been playing Crest sports?
There was one time before a football game, we had a really big speaker in the locker room and we had our cleats on, we were jumping around on the tiles and I slipped and busted my butt. Everyone was dying laughing.
What would you do with $1 billion?
First thing I buy is a home, and then I’m going to find a charity that I can donate to. I’d probably build a homeless shelter.
What superpower would you want to have?
I’d want to fly.
What’s the best piece of advice someone has given you, whether it came from a coach, teacher or someone else?
It would probably be my coach, coach (Will) Terry. Before I went to wrestling camp this summer, he told me the day before I left, no matter how hard the workout is, you never give up … push through, keep your head down and just grind it out.
What have you learned about wrestling that’s most helped you become better?
It’s not about the size of the dog in the fight, it’s about the size of the fight in the dog. It’s all about how much work you put in. Perfect practice makes perfect – not all practice makes perfect.
When did you know you loved the sport?
My first match. I lost my very first match, 7-6. It crushed me. When you lose a wrestling match, it’s 1-on-1. That person outworked you. From that point on, I was like, “Nobody’s gonna outwork me in any sense.” I won my next couple of matches. I fell in love with it.