New Lexington’s Ratliff Blazing Own Trail On Wrestling Mat
NEW LEXINGTON, OH – Ohio is the home of some of the best wrestlers in the entire country. But even the elite of the elite go through battles that are more difficult than competition.
New Lexington High School has a great wrestling tradition, with this year’s roster being potentially its most prominent to date, with eight athletes ranked within their respective weight classes.
One of those athletes is Ohio University commit Harrison Ratliff, who has been committed to this sport since a young age.
“My dad’s been the coach here at New Lexington, so I was kind of raised to the culture of the program” says Ratliff. “Just coming up there through the young elementary, junior high days. I was born into wrestling, man.”
Ratliff says he started getting “serious” about the sport when he was 12, and soon fell in love with wrestling.
“We went to watch the NCAA championships when I was 11, and I was like, ‘dad, I want to get really good at the sport.'”
That pay-off certainly was not without hard work, as being the coach’s son can be a heavy weight to carry.
“There is a lot of pleasure there, but there’s also a lot of tension too, because that being a coach’s son and expectations of, I’ve loved the sport since I was in high school” says David Ratliff, Harrison’s father and head coach. “Teaching your kid to love it is difficult. But, once they fall in love with it, it’s just amazing. i don’t have words to describe it.”
Harrison sees it more as an advantage than a burden, and even has aspirations to continue his family’s legacy.
“With a great relationship with my father, mean’s I’m wrestling better, because he’s always critiquing me, helping me get better in little aspects. It’s awesome, but it’s just the next step in doing something great, coming back. Maybe, possibly after I’m done with my college career, I’ll go into coaching just like my father, and taking over the program is my goal.”
What is most admirable about this standout wrestler is his battle off the mat. Two years ago, Harrison was diagnosed with an inflammatory bowel disease known as Crohn’s Disease. Though even dealing with the illness, he still wanted to push to be as great as possible.
Harrison was ready to fight any battle, even in a hospital. “He got referred and they diagnosed him with it. They said, ‘we don’t even know how he’s still up, moving around, operating with what’s going on with him” says David.
“My dad’s always taught me: don’t give up. Just keep pushing. Put your head down and grind” adds Harrison. “The first couple of months wrestling with it, man, I could not even wrestling at practice.”
Now, the Panthers’ senior is in great shape, thanks to great doctors, great parents, great family, and an all around support wherever he looks, or wrestles.
Before his New Lexington wrestling career is all said and done, he has one final goal as a Panther student-athlete: bringing home a state championship on the wrestling mat.
