Youth
welcome to ... Sync A regular section in the Northwest Observer focused on our local youth and the adults who positively impact them.
Summerfield FAMILY EYE CARE
Dr. Sarah Barts
Serving the Summerfield community for 22 years
• Comprehensive eye care for the entire family
• Standard/specialty contact lens services
Thanks to the coaches and teachers at Northern and Northwest High Schools for their student recommendations and input, which make it possible to recognize these talented, dedicated students for their accomplishments in academics, athletics and cultural arts.
by MEREDITH BARKLEY
Marcus Harnarain, senior Sport: wrestling Marcus Harnarain said when he announced during seventh grade that he was giving wrestling a try, his parents “were pretty surprised.” “I did a lot of other sports when I was younger, but I never found one that would stick,” said the Northwest Guilford senior, who wrestles as a heavyweight. “They didn’t think wrestling would stick either. But here we are, six years later.” Along the way, Harnarain has gotten pretty good at the sport. Last year he surprised some people by making it to the state championship match. He hopes to win it all this season. Next year he wrestles at Belmont Abbey, an NCAA Division II program.
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He expects to study marketing or sports management. “I’m pretty excited for it,” he said of his transition to college. Pro wrestling on television whetted Harnarain’s appetite for the sport. When he began trying it for himself, he fell in love. “I think it was the teammates and the mental aspect of it,” he said. “It got me out of my comfort zone, and the coaches I’ve had have been amazing. “There’s a huge adrenaline rush when you step on the mat,” he added. Part of his success, he said, comes from techniques which he developed over the years that have given him an edge over many heavyweights who are not as nimble. He has also worked at building endurance so he can compete in the late stages of often grueling matches. Teammates, he said, have noticed, and have given him a nickname: the “CEO of Overtime.” “I can push through those overtime matches pretty easily,” Harnarain said. He tries to keep his weight around
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265, although he could go 20 pounds heavier. At 265, he says, he’s “light enough on my feet” for quick moves, yet heavy enough to “keep pressure on them and hold them down and pin them.”
“If you make a mistake, the ball can go anywhere,” Tyler said.
A lot of heavyweights, he said, are afraid to go after an opponent’s legs. Not Harnarain. He aims for size and agility that allows him to “do what I can during the match.”
“We all share techniques and methods, and encourage each other, and I like that,” she said.
He keeps his weight in check by shunning carbs after 5 p.m. most days, opting for healthy options over sweets and fast foods, and working out.
“You’re not relying on anyone else,” she noted.
NORTHWEST GUILFORD Brooke Tyler, freshman Sport: golf Brooke Tyler, a Northwest Guilford freshman, says golfers need to tend to the “little things” if they expect to play well. One of those things is definitely concentration. The Vikings golfer describes golf as “more of a mental sport than physical,” and said, “If you’re not right in the head you won’t do well.” Technique is also critical, especially when developing the all-important swing, she said.
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One of the things she has enjoyed about playing golf in high school is being part of a supportive team.
But her score is hers alone, and that’s something she also likes.
Her golf interest, Tyler said, started as more of a “joke.” She was 6 years old at the time and her dad was often on the golf course. She wanted to go along, so he’d take her. She didn’t play during those early outings, but she did get in lots of practice. Before long she was good enough to join her dad and older sister. By age 8 she was playing in golf tournaments. “When I first started, my sister would always beat me,” Tyler said of Kendall, a Northwest sophomore who is also a Vikings golfer. “But playing with her helped me get better.” When her sister gave up golf for several years, though, Tyler caught up. “It kind of gave me a bit of leverage,” she said. “When she came back, I was beating her.” Her favorite subject at Northwest: civics and economics, which she said has helped her better understand global
