Ep 99: Joe Sealey

Make sure you're having fun and then you're taking rest.

So you're learning a lot from the things you're doing, even if you're not getting a results at first. You got to stay consistent and over time you're going to get better from all the risk.

You're taking, all the things you've learned.

And so I think stay consistent, having fun and doing the right things outside of wrestling, like having the right thoughts, sleeping good, eating good, hanging out with the right people.

This is the Reform Sports Project, a podcast about restoring healthy balance and perspective in all areas of sports through education and advocacy. Hi, this is nickmo moncor from the Reform Sports Podcast. Today, I'm speaking with Joseph Seally, one of the top high school wrestlers in the country. A twenty twenty two U seventeen world champion, Joe is currently the number one ranked wrestler in the class of twenty

Back at it.

Man, I'm really excited this young man who's coming on. I've certainly known about him here in the state of North Carolina back when he was, you know, just a younger guy.

But now you know, I'm the national and even world scene.

I mean, the guys are world champion, recently committed to the Penn State University, you know, the best program certainly over the last you know, probably two decades in college wrestling, but number one prospect in the class of twenty twenty four. Joseph Seally, Joe, thanks so much for hopping on, man.

Thanks for having me on. I'm grateful.

Yeah, man, I appreciate love following you in and as your season, as you're getting ready to go into your senior year. You know, you're now committed to Penn State. You know, what are what are your expectations, you know going into your senior year.

I don't really have any expectations.

I'm just trying to have fun with it, like since it's my last year, just try to wrestle as much.

As possible and have fun and not put too much pressure on myself.

You started wrestling, If I'm not mistaken, I think you were like six seven eight years old, and it seemed like, if I remember correctly, had a ton of success even on the national scene at a very young age. Well, what got you into the sport of wrestling? And like, was it always like you were a fish in water? Like it just felt like natural? Like what, what do you think has made you have such success you know, your entire career?

Well, I mean I actually started when I was even younger. I started around like four. I didn't start going to tournaments so I was five. But I was actually really bad when I started, and like I would cry all the time. I wasn't really good at it, So I guess that's why I didn't like it. But the more I wrestled, the better I got. And then my dad he was a really good coach for me, and it helped me out a lot, improving because he was really good with technique and the mindset and stuff.

So that helped me to get better at a young age.

Did you feel like you know right away when you first saw you said you had struggles when you were young, you had to work through that. But what was it that kept you coming back and wanting to get on the mat. Because wrestling's you know, especially at a young age is not an easy sport man, as you know, like you mentioned the mental grind and also the physical like what inside you, you know, brought out like, hey, I want to keep getting on that mat.

I think I was just having fun with my friends. Like it was a place where I could expel all my energy. So I wasn't getting in trouble at school and stuff like that, So it was fun.

I really like playing the games and stuff.

Like.

I wasn't as much into the wrestling, but it was fun playing games and be with my friends.

So you have I mean, I'm friends with your dad on social media, and I see it at a really young age man, you've been really helping him, you know with his job, Like you've been working with your hands like labor, like doing construction.

How much do you enjoy doing that? Do you see?

Like when you're out there working and doing those things, does that help you all in the wrestling room?

Yeah, I think it does. I mean even.

Yesterday I was helping them in like here in Florida, it's so hot and you have to like drink so much water, and if you're working outside, it's like hard. But I think it's helped me to teach me about hard work and discipline just from a young age. I know wrestling does that too, but it's different, like when you're like working a whole day compared to just practice for two hours, because it's it's a little harder.

But it's nice to be able to spend time with my dad and I.

Get to learn some stuff that I can use later on in life. So I think it's pretty good.

So is that a piece of like the accountability? I mean, wrestling takes a ton of discipline. You have to watch your way, you get to watch your diet, but juggling it all, you know, and staying highly highly competitive and also maintaining a social life, Like how do you find the time and focus to do that?

Well?

I mean before I started going to SEM in Pennsylvania, I really didn't have a social life.

So I was like, i'ld go to school.

And then I would go to high school practice, and then I would go to club practice, or even in middle.

School, I'll go to middle school practice and then club practice.

But at SEM, it makes it a lot easier because practice is there, and then all your friends are wrestlers too. It's like they live there with you, so it's a lot easier to have a social life.

But before that I didn't really have much.

I was just always think about wrestling and focusing on that, and.

School is a lot easier in public school.

So I had a lot of time to focus on just wrestling, so it was pretty pretty easy.

Do you feel like having that social life has has helped you become even better at wrestling? Like the fact that you've been able to be more I guess well routed, since I mean you're at people might not know what SEM is Wyoming Seminary, which is one of the top wrestling programs in the country at the high school high school level, So do you feel like that social peace has been intricate to you maintaining you know, your success on the map.

I think a little bit, because school at SAM is pretty hard since it's a private school.

And I think having that social life and being able to hang out with my friends and stuff, it gives me a break from the school because I love wrestling, so it's not I don't really want to break from it most of the time. Like I could wrestle like every day for a couple hours. So I like wrestling, so that's good. But it does give me a break

I often advocate for, you know, young kids especially to have experiences, no different experiences, play different sports. But there are situations where some kids really like and enjoy, you know, playing their one sport, you know, whatever is, whether that be wrestling or baseball, soccer, doesn't matter. They just they can't get enough of it, you know, they take breaks

Yeah, I used to play baseball and football. But what got me out of it was one year at Super thirty two.

I had been training in football, so I was only wrestling like two days a week or something.

So I was always at football practice and I went to Super thirty two and I cut all this.

Weight and then I went on too, and I was like, I'm done with this. So I just wanted to wrestle all the time because I was tired of losing. But I think it's important to play other sports because I think it helps you to your athleticism and your coordination and.

Stuff like that. Even now I try to do other.

Stuff, Like I've been playing soccer a little bit, not like competitive, just like on my own and I'll go play racquetball with my girlfriend's dad sometimes just to like work on my athleticism and stuff.

Yeah, and I've seen you compete, you know, and you're very, very athletic, so you attribute a lot of it. So you do some cross training stuff that you think helps you on the wrestling.

At Yeah, a little bit.

And I'm also naturally pretty flexible. My dad's pretty athletic guy easterom track in high school. I think you broke the state record for the mile, and he's really good at swimming and stuff. And I think I got a lot of head jeans, so I think that helped out.

You mentioned the mindset piece of it, and I never wrestled day in my life, but I mean, I know from my sons and just talking to other retss that mindset plays a huge role. What are some experiences, I guess specifically where you struggled and had some adversity, whether that be a loss or whatever it is that you can attribute, like man that time that this loss happened or this happened or whatever in my life, it really helped me lock I learned from it.

Are there any.

Specific instances that you can think of where adversity really helps you grow throughout your career?

Yeah.

I think even this this year, all the times that I lost, I think it was technical, but it was also a lot of mental stuff too, Like every time I lost, like I wasn't in the moment or I was thinking about when it lose instead of having fun and get.

Better because for me, that's that's when I wrestled. My best is when I'm having fun and get better.

And sometimes you lose focus sometimes and you're thinking about other things, and a loss will help you to refocus on the right things. And so I took some losses this year, and I think it's just going to help me to become an even better wrestler technically and mentally.

So I think it. I think especially this last loss.

I was at World Team Trials when I was wrestling with Hankle, I was really focused on when losing because it's World Team Trials instead of having fun and just getting better. Because I ended up losing anyways, So I should just focus on having fun and trying my best, and I think I think I would have wrestled better if I did that.

That's interesting.

So so when you don't focus on the outcomes and you just try to stay present, that's like a you know, I hear some of the most the lead athletes talk about that. How are ways in which that I guess that you practice that? Like, you know, especially with X, you know, maybe you don't have expected maybe you do. Maybe you don't put that pressure on yourself, but certainly you know, with your ranking and with you know where you're committed, there are expectations out there that people may have.

How do you separate yourself?

Have there been any like do you get coached by anybody a how to stay present? Because that is such a such a valuable piece that I hear the most the lead athletes say in any sport. Yeah.

I mean mostly it was from my dad, Like he was the one who was teaching me and stuff at a young age, Like He's telling me how to focus on when I losing. And I think that really helped me with my progress because I would go challenge myself and wrestle people that were better than me, just so I could improve. And also I've been watching Pen State. That's one of the big reasons I went it is

I think personally, that's what I think.

So what was the recruiting process, Like, I mean, I'm sure I would imagine like every school in the country would have been excited to have you commit to their program. Like what was it about Penn State And did you feel like a lot of pressure on when to commit where to commit? Like what was that process? Like?

Yeah, I got a ton of calls the first day, like so many. I was pretty much on the phone the whole day. But I kind of always knew I wanted to go to Penn State because I've been watching them like for like a long time growing up. But I still had some other schools in mine like North Carolina schools and some of mywa schools because I'm in private school and they like private school guys. So I was just thinking about a little bit. But I think I always knew I wanted to go to Penn State,

I already loved it. I liked all the people.

There, so that's it was pretty I didn't really feel any pressure from it.

It was pretty easy for me and my dad.

It was just like, yeah, as long as it's good for you. He wasn't too caught up in it. He knew I would pick the right place, so it's pretty easy.

It's pretty much well documented that, you know, coach Kle Sanderson, who's I would put out there as you know, one of the greatest coaches in any sport, especially over the last fifteen twenty years. I mean, that's a complete dynasty that continues. It seems to get better and better. But it's kind of well documented that they keep like a tight leash around like what they do and how they

But do you know anything about like what the process is? Like I hear a lot about humility and all of those things.

Is that from what your experience has been and maybe talking to coach Cale and guys that wrestle there, how important is it at Penn State to buy into their process and kind of focus on that versus the end result.

Yeah, I think their process works really good is because they're not focused on like their results either. They're just worried about the athletes. They'll do anything to make sure the athletes.

Reach their goals. They keep a good relationship with the athletes, and all they do is one of the best worries.

They're really pretty like humble, like they say, like if you're at a tournament or saw and they'll be hiding in like the top stand, like with the hat and a hoodie on, you don't even know they're there.

And that's how they are.

They're just in it for the athletes, and I think it's a good devide into their process because they're just in it for the athletes.

Pretty much.

When we come back, Joe and I discuss why what you do outside of practice can make all the difference. Before we go to break, I wanted to share another update with you from our friends at Team Staff. On an earlier episode of this podcast, Peter Francillis, CEO of Team Staff, shared how we saw technology evolving.

Within the youth sports industry.

While Team Staff has been busy this summer spanning the capabilities and functionality of their industry leading platform, they also recognize that change can be uncomfortable or simply overwhelming for some users. So to help support their platform users, both existing and newcomers, Team Snap is hosting another free webinar called Beyond Basic Scheduling for your Youth Sports Organization A

Yeah?

My main goal since I've been young is to be an Olympic champ, and I think Penn State is going to help me to be because there's a lot of there's a couple of Olympians in the room, a couple of Olympic champs. There's three Olympic champs, actually four Olympic champs in the room. So I think it's it's a good place if you want to do good at the Olympics and also want to be world champion and I you said national champions.

So those are some of my goals.

How do you stay at eighteen years old focused on the present when it seems you know, at a at a young age man, it's hard to stay focused on the present and not get lost and chasing these aspirations.

Well, yeah, I mean it is.

It's still hard for me sometimes, Like like I said, at that loss side in World Team Trials, I was on president in the moment.

You need those losses sometimes to refocus, and.

So it's helped me do that loss help me to refocus, And it's it is hard, and I think it's going.

To be hard for like forever.

You just gotta I got to make sure I stay focused and make sure I'm just focusing on myself instead of what other people think.

How do you keep your body in preparation? Like do you do a lot of weightlifting?

Like how much is your diet a component of your preparation, and I guess walk us through a week of the day in the life of Joe Sealer when it comes to training and everything to do that goes around it.

Yeah, so I've never really listed anyways.

I've always just I do like, like when I was in Carolina, I used to go to school hard knocks. We did a little bit of weightlft him but it wasn't anything heavy, like you get a bar bell and do some some stuff, but it was pretty easy.

And I'm big on body weight.

Stuff, but I've always folk tried to focus on making sure I'm moving well and I'm flexible and I can just move well without pain or any restriction or anything like that, instead of lifting a bunch of weights, because I've always thought like people that lifted a bunch of weights ended up getting injured, and I think, if you do it right, you won't.

But I've just never done it. I think I try to put all my effort into wrestling practice.

Like if I if I'm losing a match, I don't ever want to say it's because he was stronger or faster me. I want to be like, it's because he did something better than me wrestling wise, I think you can fix any loss just with wrestling or your mind.

But like a day in the life typically would just be like I do.

I do try to eat pretty healthy, and I drink a lot of water, and I try to get my sleep right too, like I try to be like wake up at the same time, go to sleep at the same time every day, and also try to try to get some sunlight every day and get barefoot on the ground because I heard that's pretty good for you.

And I also try to eat healthy. But I really I'll just go.

To wrestling practice about once a day, but I'll do I'll be there like super early, like thirty minutes to an hour early, and then I'll stay for like thirty minutes too. I'm always like doing something else like extra, So I think that helps me out a lot.

That is something you know, we talk about a lot. It's like it's not about what you do and anything in life, really, but there's so much more. Seems like the most successful people at anything do more before and after. It's almost like the minimum if you go to practice and just do your training or whatever at practice. It's like, how important is it to separate yourself from the competitors by doing more before practicing after like on your own time.

Yeah, I think it's not even in practice either, like like it is it is practice, doing extra practice.

But even like outside of the practice room.

I watch a lot of wrestling too, Like I've watched so much wrestling, Like I started watching wrestling, and like one of my favorite things to do is just to study wrestling. And I think about it a lot too. So I think that helps out. And like the sleep thing, the diet thing, all that stuff helps you. Like i might not be doing a bunch of workout today, but I'm growing in in other ways, you.

Know what I mean.

That's interesting because you know, as you're talking about watching film and all those things, I'm thinking about, like you know, the focus, you know, and how how locked in you are, and you you know, when you're in a wrestling match, or even if you're in baseball and you're going up to the plate, that's that one on one battle, that competition mode. You know, how do you prepare yourself from a mindset standpoint, you know, to kind of lock in?

Like what you're.

Thinking as you're getting ready to go step on the mat. Doesn't matter what match it is, is the preparation always the same as the mindset always the same no matter who the opponent is.

Uh yeah, pretty pretty much. The mindset is usually the same.

There's there's I usually I have a routine that I think. I think if you watch a bunch of great athletes, they all have a.

Routine that gets them in the zone.

I think you can get in the zone without a routine, but I think it helps, like certain.

Movements and the things you're thinking.

I got these certain things I think about, like my technique, like certain mistakes I make in other matches that I try to tell myself before I wrestle, because I try not to think too much, like when I'm wrestling, Like I try to make sure it's like just a flow.

But I try not.

To like think too much about like anything really, Like I just try to be as calm as possible and like be present and just think about having fun.

When you say having fun, I've heard you say that a lot.

And that's another thing we talk about a lot because people may hear having fun and they visualize like kids jumping around and laughing and goofing and all that stuff, which is certainly a part of it. But what is having fun to Joe seely when you're talking about all these things and being a competitor.

Yeah, I mean for me having fun.

I think I love wrestling, but sometimes I can get stuck in trying to be perfect and every little thing will give me frustrated, and that's what I'm not having fun. And like when I'm worried about the winning and the losing, and I think just having fun, taking the risks and then like just wrestling and then you learn later like you don't have to worry about everything being perfect in

About winning and losing, Like I didn't try to get.

A win with just like one point. And I think it's helped me to learn a lot because I take a lot of risks, take a lot of shots, and.

I think this helped me to keep learning and keep growing and keep.

Evolving because I feel like evolution in your game is what really helps you to step.

Up to the next level each time.

I love that, like it sounds to me and you correct me if I'm wrong. But you talk about the relationship with your dad, did you always have because I often hear where kids will say, like they're afraid to make a mistake. You know, they're afraid to fail because they may have extrinsic pressure from either a coach or a parent who's like on their back or what did your dad or your coaches always kind of give you

Yeah, especially my dad.

He was always like he would have ever get mad at me as long as I charged my best and then we work on the technical stuff later. As long as I was given my best effort, he was okay with it, like and.

He would actually he didn't tell me this at the time, but he would.

Actually try to take me to places so I could lose, so I could learn and.

Try my best.

And I think that that really helped me to like some Like I would go to these tournaments in elementary school and I'll wrestle a couple of different divisions, like two age groups and two different weight.

Classes, and sometimes.

I would lose because I was a younger guy and I was a smaller guy. But I think that really helped me to grow at a faster rate and even practice too. He would always make me practice like the next level. Look like if I was in elementary school, I was middle school.

If I was in middle school, I was.

Probably some in high school and it's a little bit harder to practice like with college guys, but I tried to.

As much as possible.

But I think that helps you to grow, and you're wrestling people that can be you start to evolve, you start to adapt, and I think that's how you get a lot better when you're younger.

So Joe, as you're as you're you know, in your senior year, you're getting ready to let it rip and have a lot of fun and obviously showcase your skills before going to the Big ten and the best program in the country in ten state.

You know, a lot of student.

Athletes, a lot of kids, a lot of sports parents and folks will listen to this, and you know, these kids may be like, man, I want to be like Joe Seeley, I want to I want to be at that level.

You know.

Take a couple of minutes, and I would love to hear what is some advice that you'd give to these younger wrestlers, these kids in middle school and high school who who want to reach their you know, want.

To reach your level, or want to be the best they can.

What's the best way for them to put themselves in a position to to maybe reach their potential or have an opportunity to to wrestle at the next level in the college level.

Yeah. So obviously, the first thing, like I've been.

Saying the whole time, make sure you're having fun and then you're taking rests, so you're learning a lot from the things you're doing, even if even if you're not getting results at first, you got to stay consistent and over time you're going to get better from all the risk you're taking, all the things you've learned. And so I think stay consistent having fun and doing the right things outside of wrestling, like having the right thoughts, sleeping good, eating good, hanging.

Out with the right people.

But make sure having fun I think is the most important if you if you're trying to get the best.

Yeah, you know, I want to touch on one of the thing because I think it's abot you. You said, you said hanging out with the right people. I couldn't agree more. How do you make sure that you kind of you know that you're not, you know, putting yourself in a position where you know, temptation and such like, how do you in particular, remain focused in being able to separate, Like, Hey, I might not want to hang around this crowd because it might not be good for me as a person.

Well, yeah, I mean that's kind of one.

Of the reasons I didn't really have a social until I came to some because a lot of people and I lived at they didn't have the same the same goals as me and I, and if I was hanging around them too much, they would try to bring me down with them. And so I was really by myself a lot because I had these goals and I wanted to make good grades. I wanted to be a good wrestler. I wanted to go to sleep early and stuff like that.

Joe Seely, I freaking love it man. Where can people follow you? You know, they want to follow your journey, see what's going on? What social media accounts? Where can they do that?

Yeah?

I really just use Instagram and it's Joe Seely dot j J I T.

I love it man. Well, good luck this year.

You're going to be crushing and I'm sure I can't wait to see and follow your career, you know obviously this year and as you move along to Pence that I wish you nothing but continue success.

Man, stay healthy and keep doing what you're doing. Buddy.

Thank you sir, that's Joseph Seely, one of the high school wrestlers in the country. Thanks for listening to the Reform Sports Podcast. If you've enjoyed this episode, we would appreciate it if you took a moment to rate and review our podcast. As we work to grow our community of supporters and advocates for more reform sports content, please subscribe to our newsletter and blog at.

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