Around Tumwater sports, Cy Hicks already came equipped with an enshrined last name.
His dad, Jamie Hicks, and uncle, Anthony Hicks, both went on to play college football after playing at Tumwater High School.
Besides his family’s sports legacy, Cy also has another genetic connection passed along. He also has the size – 6’2″ and 250 pounds.
But coaches are quick to tell you that Cy’s sports heritage and genetics haven’t been the key to his success. It’s his drive and desire to get better that makes him one of the top heavyweight wrestlers in the state.
“I don’t think being a Hicks made me the way I am,” Hicks said during a recent wrestling practice. “I don’t think my name has anything to do it. It’s my work ethic.”
That was obvious as Hicks sweated his way through another recent wrestling workout. Hard work has already had its payday for Hicks. Last year as a freshman, Hicks placed fifth at state at heavyweight and placed second at the recent Gut Check Challenge. Last fall, he started at nose guard on the football team as a sophomore, helping Tumwater reach the state championship game.
“Growing up, I’ve always pushed myself,” Hicks said. “That’s how you get better.”
It’s not by throwing around a legacy name or slacking in practice – having talent isn’t enough.
“The one thing about wrestling is you have to do it with hard work,” Hicks said. “You can’t achieve what you want to do without it. If you want to go to state, you have to put in that much work. To win state you have to put in a lot of work.”
Tony Prentice, Tumwater’s wrestling coach since 2002, would give Hicks high fives for his comments about hard work. Every practice, that’s one of the life lessons Prentice passes along to his teams.
“The work ethic kids have to put in for wrestling is not a common thing,” Prentice said. “Everyone isn’t a winner, but you work to be the best you can be. If you don’t work, you don’t have a job. It teaches self-discipline.”
Prentice has now seen the life lessons of sports from both sides of the coin. First, he saw it as a three-sport athlete at Tumwater, turning out for football, wrestling and baseball. After playing football and baseball at Portland State University during the mid-1990s, he was drafted by the San Francisco Giants and played in their minor leagues for a number of years. Now, as a coach, Prentice is helping his wrestlers learn one important life lesson.
“To never give up,” Prentice said. “I used to say to Coach Sid Otton that I was so lucky to be at Tumwater. How do you not follow his program that is one of the most successful in state history? The model is right in front of me.”
Brin Hanson, a senior and a two-time state qualifier on Tumwater’s wrestling team, knows all about the importance of not giving up.
“I think wrestling has changed my life,” Hanson said. “Coach has changed my life. He’s given me a work ethic. Without wrestling, I don’t think I’d be the same person.”
As a freshman, Hanson remembers coming to his first wrestling practice. He was out of shape and he didn’t know how to work hard.
“That work ethic has all been transferred from up here in this wrestling room,” said Hanson, who was dripping in sweat from his workout as he talked.
Because of his newfound work ethic, that new gumption to do, Hanson has started his own lawn care business. It’s called Lawn Boys and he takes care of eight houses and two complexes. His dad, Ron Hanson, has helped him learn the business side.
“My dad is a businessman,” Hanson said. “He taught me all the business aspects. He also taught me how to talk with people and just being a nice guy. If they can trust you, they’ll do business with you.”
So, now as a coach, Prentice is shaping lives.
“I love Coach Prentice,” Hicks said. “He is a great guy. He really knows what he’s talking about.”
And, for Coach Prentice’s wrestlers that’s talking about how to make a takedown or how to get ahead in life.
