Athlete Spotlight: Junior Wrestler Likes Staying in Shape Among Friends

Name and Age: Robert “R.J.” Luth, 17

Sport: wrestling

Class: Junior

Weight class: 215 pounds

Key to awesomeness: Robert Luth is one of four Dunedin High School wrestlers who qualified for state finals held in Lakeland on Feb. 18 and 19. Luth placed third in his weight class at regionals.

When did you start wrestling?

“Freshman year. Well, it looked and sounded like a lot of fun. I came with my dad to the open house, met Coach Allison and it sounded like a lot of fun.”

What’s your favorite part of the sport?

“My favorite part about wrestling? Working out with friends. You stay in shape and you stay with friends.”

What do you consider your career highlight?

“[Being a] state qualifier. That’s the biggest thing I’ve done with wrestling.”

What’s the hardest part of your sport?

“The workouts. Some days you come in, dead on your feet and you don’t want to be here, but you get through it, get a good workout and you say, ‘you know, that felt good.’”

What gets you pumped before a match?

“Thinking to myself, ‘Get angry, get pissed off.’ [To psyche myself into it,] I gotta think this guy did something to somebody and I say, you know, ‘Go get revenge.’”