Cary-Grove’s Meyer driven to make state

Mention the name of Corey Meyer to Dan Cysewski, and the longtime wrestling coach from Cary-Grove, immediately breaks into a big wide smile.

And why not?

“The simple fact is that Corey is just a great kid,” offers Cysewski, who is thrilled to know that others have noticed just what type of student-athlete the 130-pound senior is.

“One of the things that you notice first about Corey is the terrific attitude that he has, and how much of a student of the sport he has become,” continued his head coach while watching the 4-year veteran running sprints in the back of the Barrington field house following his final match of the 20th annual Moore-Prettyman tournament last weekend where he earned a second-place finish behind three-time state qualifier and state-ranked Sean Raddatz of Marist.

The classic little-engine-that-could wrestler, Meyer has gone from just a tick below 95 pounds as a freshman, to a well-conditioned, and battle-hardened 2010 sectional qualifier, who took one look down on the big floor inside Assembly Hall last February and quickly realized he should be on one of the eight mats competing for a chance for a state medal.

“We were in Champaign cheering for Josh (Nelson) and I was watching some of the guys that I had wrestled against and thinking that’s where I want to be a year from now,” recounts Meyer, who won 29 matches last season, but fell one match short of advancing into the state qualifying match at 125 pounds following a season-ending 6-3 loss to Palatine senior Leshon Mejias.

“I was really disappointed that I didn’t get downstate, but my dad quickly reminded me that it was best to put the disappointment behind me, and to look ahead and to start working on this season, with a chance to reach my goal of getting to the state tournament.”

“Corey is so good about staying positive, and away from any negative thinking,” said Cysewski.

“An example of that occurred in his final with Raddatz, where he was in a very close match with a very strong opponent but was unable to get in and score even though he had a couple of great chances to do so.

“That match was so much closer than the 9-2 final, and after getting to (5-2) late in the match, he did all he could in the closing minute to surprise (Raddatz) to take the lead.”

Meyer missed out on trying to make something out of nothing, with the hope of a takedown or even a 5-point move, and although his attempt fell short, his look of exhilaration for trying such a daring shot was priceless, and one which was shared by both Cysewski and his coaching staff.

“That’s Corey. No ups or downs with him. His effort in each match is always like that,” said Cysewski.

Meyer says he had to drink as much water as he could just to get above 95 pounds during his freshman year, when he competed at 103 pounds. But a growth spurt bumped him up to 119 pounds a year later, when he grew more than half a foot.

His formula for success, in addition to his conditioning and obvious gritty nature that allows him to fight and scratch for every position and point for six minutes, is an obvious one when you look at him.

“I am all arms and legs,” he says proudly, “and it makes me slippery and a tough opponent to get in on,” says Meyer, who uses his long and lean body to ride hard once he gets on top, making him nearly impossible for others to make a comeback once they are trailing.

Meyer says his off-season consisted off competing in 35-plus matches during the summer, many of them out of state, as a barometer of how far he had progressed in his training.

“Being so long is great in one respect, but it also caused me to get turned 8-10 times last season, so the extra time in freestyle and Greco should help keep that to a minimum this year,” says Meyer.

Nelson and 2008 state medalist Paul Rands have provided plenty of inspiration for Meyer, who says Nelson’s ability to build and peak at the right time, and Rands’ workout warrior and all-out style he’ll look to follow this entire season.

“Josh would always start slow, partly because of football, but then get himself fit and prepared for the final weeks of the season, and I remember watching Paul during my freshman year and being amazed at his work ethic each and everyday in the room,” Meyer said.

“It made a big impression on me.”

Meyer hopes to continue wrestling in college, and has his eyes on Luther College in Iowa, North Central and Augustana here in Illinois, and will steer his studies toward a degree in secondary education with the hopes of becoming a history teacher.