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“I think wrestling has helped me in every aspect of life. Just know- ing that you’ve worked that hard at one thing in your life, it just gives you that confidence” - Trevor Knowles


RODEO & WRESTLING


Professional rodeo star Trevor Knowles credits much of his success to the experience he gained in wrestling


By Meagan Templeton-Lynch Professional steer wrestler Trevor Knowles’s father, a cancer-survivor and war veteran, gifted him with the persever- ance to always push through obstacles. His mother, the hardest working woman he knows, gave him the determi- nation to succeed.


One more thing is credited for raising Knowles, 32, to the man and athlete he is today. Wrestling, he said, gave him total control over his body and forever changed his attitude.


“I think wrestling has helped me in every aspect of life. Just knowing that you’ve worked that hard at one thing in your life, it just gives you that confi- dence,” he said. “You can almost pick a wrestler out of a crowd just by their stature and their demeanor. You kind of act and walk and talk and think a certain way and you have this demeanor about you that you can tackle anything in life.” Knowles began wrestling in the fourth grade in the small rural town of John Day, Oregon. In high school, Knowles won an Oregon state title his senior year. He then continued wrestling and coached a high school team prior to beginning college. While his wrestling career ended there, Knowles credits a lot of his success in professional rodeo to taking up wrestling at a young age.


“Body control is a really important in [steer wrestling],” Knowles said. “You’re going 30 miles per hour coming up on a steer on a horse. Chances are things


18 USA Wrestler


Professional rodeo star Trevor Knowles took up wrestling at a young age and won an Oregon State high school title. Fred McClanahan Jr. photo.


aren’t going to be perfect every time. It’s important to be able to take the worst case scenario; you know, take something out of control and keep it in control. The better you do that, the more apt you are to win and be successful and not get hurt. I think [wrestling] helped me quite a bit. I’ve been in some bad situations and I came out of it smelling like a rose just because I can always seem to get to my feet and get into a position of control.” Knowles also credits his ability to stay focused in competition to wrestling, which had him honing his mental and physical abilities at an early age. He also said that the fitness level he was able to keep while wrestling is one reason he has been able to avoid serious injury in his rodeo career.


“I’ve been hurt, but I haven’t had to have any major surgeries. I’ve had some bumps and bruises. I’ve used plenty of ice and Advil,” Knowles said. “I attribute a lot of that to being in pretty good shape and trying to stay flexible and agile.” Steer wrestling is a professional rodeo event in which the cowboy jumps from his moving horse at 30 miles per hour, slides off, grabs the steer running beside him by the horns, twists and serves up a major take-down.


“Basically you’re taking that steer, rid- ing him in a straight line and you’re slid- ing down on him and switching direction and using his momentum to carry him through the air. It’s pretty similar to throw- ing somebody,” Knowles said. “You can’t Continued on page 19


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