The Cortez Journal
In today’s prep sports culture, wrought with personal trainers, dietitians and other hired help aiming to bring young athletes success, Montezuma-Cortez High School wrestler Seager Oliver is somewhat of a throwback.
Raised on a farm where he learned the value work and the importance of respect, Oliver, with little assistance from anyone other than local coaches, has built himself into one of the top-ranked 170-pound wrestlers in the state of Colorado.
Known as one of the hardest-working athletes at Montezuma-Cortez High School, Oliver sports a 22-2 overall record this season, in addition to a first-place finish in the competitive Montrose Indian Invitational tournament on Jan. 11.
Asked what has allowed him to enjoy so much success in this, his junior season, Oliver said that hard work and dedication have been the chief contributors.
“I’ve been training really hard,” said Oliver. “I live on a farm, and I work on a farm. After a hard day of work, I work in the weight room some more. I do that pretty much all summer long.”
Oliver spends off time studying, riding dirt bikes and relaxing at the lake.
As for his post-high school plans, Oliver intends to attend vocational school and obtain his welding certification.
Before moving on to that, Oliver, a lifelong wrestler who finished second in the 160-pound division as a sophomore, is focused on bringing a state title home.
“I don’t want to lose another match. I want to win state.”
Given the years of hard work that Oliver has dedicated to his one and only sport, there is no reason to believe that a state championship is well within the M-CHS wrestler’s reach.