Ryan McElhaney of Bradley Central (top) turns Bearden's Kyle Burns in the 120 pound class. McElhaney won the match. The finals of the TSSAA State Wrestlings Championships were held at the Williamson Agricultural Center in Franklin, Tn. on February 20, 2016.Also Read
Same story, different year: Bradley Central favored to win wrestling state title
CLEVELAND, Tenn. - There is a sole purpose when Ryan McElhaney hops on a bike - stationary or otherwise.
He's training - shedding a pound or bolstering his cardio.
"One of the hardest things as a coach is getting kids to buy into the idea of coming to practice to work hard every day," Bradley Central wrestling coach Ben Smith said. "Every practice, every scramble, every drill, every takedown matter.
"Since he got here four years ago, he's taken advantage 99.9 percent of the time of every opportunity. I have never worried about him sleeping through a practice."
McElhaney isn't one of those Bradley wrestlers who gets into cross-training, Ironman competition or mountain biking for a lark. He's more into academics, video games or collecting comic books.
Yet wrestling has taught the 132-pounder the meaning of sacrifice.
"It's putting all your time and effort into something," he said, "even when there's something else you might enjoy doing more."
Yet while he might be defined as the team's resident nerd, he already is a three-time state medalist and former state champion. Within the team, he's respected as much as fellow seniors T.J. Hicks, the Bears' feisty 113-pounder who's headed for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and West Point-bound 145-pounder Knox Fuller.
Outside of the team, McElhaney is the oh-by-the-way guy.
"I think Ryan is overshadowed, and I think he is very underrated by those outside this program," Smith said.
McElhaney is aware teammates have received more attention, but he has used it as motivation when he is considered an afterthought.
"I sometimes felt that (other wrestlers) would rather bump up and wrestle me than T.J. or drop to wrestle me instead of Knox," said McElhaney, who today enters the Class AAA state traditional tournament with a 38-2 record this season.
That mindset, though, has fueled McElhaney's desire nearly as much as his devotion to coaches and teammates.
"People talk crap. I just work. I just wrestle," he said. "I do what I have trained to do,"
There's no question part of what McElhaney does is for self-gratification. He's human.
He has always wanted to be better than older brother Jimmy Frederick, a two-time medalist and state champion for East Ridge who served as his childhood coach. Yet when he sucked down 20 pounds last year and maintained that weight through the wrestling season to compete at 126, the motivation was teammates, coaches and the Bradley Central tradition.
"Losing the weight took a lot of time out of each day. I did it for these guys," he said, jerking a thumb toward teammates awaiting the start of practice. "We wanted to win the state (team) title. This is my team, and I wrestle for them and do what I can to help us win."
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him on Twitter @wardgossett.