Sophomore Stanley Cea’s perseverance helped him to quickly catch up to his teammates’ strength even after joining the wrestling season late.

Cea, starting at 5’9, is the only athlete from Daniel Pearl Magnet High School to join Birmingham Community Charter High School’s wrestling team.

“You need to put a lot of hard work since you have two hours of morning practice and then afternoon practice usually ends around eight,” Cea said.

Cea started late into the season because of his previous decision to stay with the football team to train. Then he changed his mind when he saw BCCHS’ wrestling tournament. He discovered that wrestling would condition him to be in better shape.

“I enjoyed fighting so I thought that wrestling has the same similarities as fighting,” Cea said.

Before wrestling, Cea had  practiced  jiu-jitsu and capoeira, a Brazilian martial art that is a combination between dance, music and fighting.  While also being part of the junior varsity football team.

The combination of  his martial arts background and football’s conditioning made it easier for Cea to catch up to his teammates who had been conditioning for wrestling since the beginning of the school year.

“I’ve always been athletic so I caught up easily,” Cea said.

Although it is his first year, Cea is confident that the wrestling team and himself are going to make it into the City Finals.

Their latest tournament  was on Jan. 28 where Cea won the wrestling match after his opponent tapped out.

“He’s enthusiastic about this season,” sophomore Eric Flowers said.  “Hopefully, he does well.”