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Hernando Today

Meet the Nowhere Man

Photo by JOE DiCRISTOFALO

NCT senior Shayne Gracteroly

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By MARTY MILLER

Hernando Today correspondent

Published: January 8, 2009

Coaches of any high school sport love to say that an athlete really cannot became good without hard work and practice.
Nature Coast Technical senior wrestler Shayne Gracteroly has begun to find that out this year when it comes to wrestling.
A three-sport athlete, Gracetroly is a linebacker/wide receiver for the football team and is on the track team. But last year the Shark senior only had a mild interest in being a wrestler.
"Shayne wrestled for us last year and he only came to practice off-and-on," said NCT Head Coach Mike Lastra. "Last year he lost his first match and I thought he would quit right then. He stayed around but he would be at practice only now and then."
Gracteroly, a senior who went 5-0 Saturday in the St. Petersburg Catholic Duals Wrestling Tournament, agreed with his coach. "No, I only went to practice off-and-on last year," he said. "But now I'm starting to get into it and I don't miss practice now."
That is paying off this season as Gracteroly has a 14-5 record with 11 pins. His 14 wins are tied for the team lead with Rockkheem "Dream" Greene and the 11 pins lead the Sharks.
This year his coach said that playing football helped him as a wrestler.
"He was used to working hard for football, and now that he's had some success, he's starting to work just as hard at wrestling," said Lastra. "Last year his record as a grappler was not very good and by his own admission, he really didn't take the sport too seriously.
"I went to practice off and on at best," Gracteroly admitted. "But I don't know, this year I'm working at it more and I'm starting to get better at it. I guess the reason is I like slamming people so much."
In this year's Hernando Kiwanis Invitational tournament, Gracteroly went 3-2 with three pins and later he was 4-1 with another three pins in the Gulf Duals Tournament.
Now the Shark senior believes that making it into the postseason is within reach.
"I like slamming people," he said with a laugh. "This is my first full year and now I'm coming to practice every day and working hard. I think I can at least make the regionals."
His coach believes that Gracteroly can become a good wrestler if he continues to work as hard as he has this year.
"He's coming around now," said Lastra. "I think he started to realize he can be a good wrestler, he's just got to work harder at it."
Asked about going 5-0 Saturday, Gracteroly said it was a big improvement from before.
"I used to go 0-2 and be out last year," Gracteroly commented. "I think I did really good today. I thought a couple of those guys were going to beat me. Then I just slammed them and got some pins."
With the Sharks having tied for seventh this year in the Kiwanis Inv. at Hernando High and going 4-1 as a team at the Gulf Duals tournament, Lastra believes his team can do more.
"We've got to be a lot hungrier," Lastra said. "We can't just be satisfied wrestling well or making finals. We have to start winning them."
He also thinks Gracteroly can be a contender when the post season comes around.
"I think today (going 5-0 in the St. Petersburg Catholic tournament) is a big turning point for him," added the fifth-year skipper. "It puts him in double-digits in wins, now he just has to work harder."

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