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Show SPORTS B5 Avery Garner's secret to success By TRAVIS LEAVITT Sports Writer Gifted athletes routinely are surpassed by their less talented, harder working peers. Tom Brady went from college backup at Michigan to a 3-time Super Bowl winning quarterback, currently in pursuit for championship number four. Michael Jordan famously was cut from his Junior Varsity team and now he is the NBA's "Greatest of All-Time." If two of the most prolific athletes of their respective sports had to outwork their fellow colleagues, imagine the work required for the typical jock. Utah Valley's standout, sophomore wrestler Avery Garner was quick to learn this principle of success. "When I was younger I wasn't near the best," Garner said. "I noticed that the (wrestlers) who worked the hardest consistently passed the guys with the most talent." Hailing from Boise, Idaho, Garner spurned the local Boise State Broncos and decided to sign with the Wolverines. Since joining UVU Wrestling during the 2007-2008 season, Garner has gone from recruited walk-on to earning a scholarship and becoming a centerpiece for the burgeoning UVU program. Wolverine head coach Greg Williams said it began with his will and determination. "Avery has a great work ethic," Williams said. "He works hard in the classroom, in his personal life and in the wrestling room. He helps set the tone for his teammates and how it should like for effort." Although Garner will admit he is reserved, quiet man, his actions on the wrestling mat speak for themselves. Despite being only a sophomore, he is among the elder grapplers on the team. His example and attitude have turned him into one of the squad's leaders. Garner has established lofty goals for himself, stating that by the end of his career he hopes to be a conference-winning All-American. His work habits and grit have led him to an impressive start to his ca- PHOTO BY LANCE LARSEN/UVU REVIEW Avery Garner looks for a hold in his match against Boise State on Thursday, Jan. 12. Garner won his match, earning UVU a game high four points. - reer, notching a 20-15 overall record as a freshman and this year he has continued to grow. His next step is to compete with the upper echelon of his weight-class. Garner defeated Boise State grappler Ben Demuelle, but dropped two straight matches the following weekend, including a match to the No. 1 141-pounder in the nation, Oklahoma's Kendric Maple. Williams said his approach and confidence level versus these contenders needs to change. "We have been working with Avery on the mental aspect. He needs to know he has a chance to beat those guys," Williams said. "These matches should be close. He has the talent to compete with all of them." Garner was pinned in the first period versus Maple. While the match didn't go as planned, he gained crucial experience that he will draw upon as the season, as well as his career, goes on. As the team readies itself for Western Wrestling Conference play, Garner will take these expert. ences and build upon them. "I was humbled and needec to refocus." Garner said fol. lowing his match with Maple "I realized that I am nowhere near where I want to be so need to keep working the hardest that I can." Wrestling back to basics Iowa By ALEX RIVERA Sports Writer Following the President's Day holiday, Monday classes will be held on Tuesday, February 21, 2012. Tuesday classes will be canceled on that day. You can't teach an old dog new tricks, but you can teach a new dog some old tricks. That is what head coach Greg Williams and his staff are doing with their young wrestling team as they prepare to take on their conference rivals, the Northern Iowa Panthers, this coming Friday. "We need to get the basics down," Williams said. "Right now we need to take it a step up." So how does a coach prepare the youngest team in the Western Wrestling Conference (WWC) go toe to toe with the Panthers of Northern Iowa? "We gave them a schedule to prepare them, so they're not surprised," Williams said. "Our older guys also show them by example. We even work with them individually too." Last time UVU faced off against Northern Iowa back in the 2009-2010 season, more than half of the current Wolverines were still in high school. They defeated the Panthers 19-16 with a veteran-heavy team that included Benjamin Kjar, Flint Ray, and Justin Morrill. Although that team had experience on their side, Williams believes this year's team has heart. "They always go out there and give 100 percent," Williams said. "I tell them, 'I know how good you could be.'" Although they were defeated by two teams back to back in Chattanooga and 12th ranked Oklahoma, the momentum they need comes in February, according to Williams. "We're more worried about our guys getting certain things down," he said. "We need to get the right pace in February to get them into nationals." The Wolverines are back from a road trip that had them face Air Force and Wyoming (check uvureview.com for details on those matches). Although Williams professes to be more focused about getting the momentum to get his kids to nationals, he still respects and acknowledges the skills of the wrestling program at Northern Iowa. "Our job is not to add pressure," Williams said. "But we understand to win this conference, we'd have to beat Northern Iowa and Wyoming every year." Although the Utah Valley University is a young team, the desires are the same as Wolverines of old: "stay true." Northern Iowa will be a test , but Williams believes UVU will stay true to what they know and what the coaching staff has prepared them for. "[We] have the talent to beat them," Williams said. "We have a very good program." 111111 BOOKSTORE Your Campus. 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