Lower Merion wrestler James Lledo is Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week
The senior 170-pounder advanced to the PIAA 3A state wrestling tournament for the third year in a row, posting a 38-4 record with 28 pins this winter and finishing 2nd at Southeast Regionals for the second consecutive year. At one point this season, he pinned 18 of 19 consecutive opponents. For his Lower Merion career, Lledo has a won-loss record of 130-27, with 76 pins. Next winter, Lledo will be wrestling for the University of Pittsburgh.
Q: What do you think was your best match of the season, and why?
A: I would say my best match of the season was in the Southeast Regional semifinals against Matt Colajezzi of Council Rock South. I think it was my best match because it was against a very tough opponent and there were some things not going my way in the match, but I kept calm and did what I’m best at to get the win and qualify for the state tournament.
Q: What do you consider your biggest strength on the mat and what you are working on most currently?
A: I would say my biggest strength is my top work and my determination when it comes to gritty positions and sticking it out when things get tough. All of my coaches have always been big believers in pushing yourself past your personal limits on and off the mat and that’s a strength I strive to improve every day not only as a wrestler.
Q: Tell us about your start in wrestling – what sparked your initial interest? Who have been your most important wrestling mentors, and what was the most important thing you learned from each of them?
A: I always looked up to my cousin Joey Mazzi, who was a very good wrestler and I wanted to do what I had the chance to see him do when I was very young. Going to his tournaments and matches when I was a kid was something I’ll never forget and one of the earliest things that inspired me to wrestle. My most important mentors are all of my coaches at Lower Merion, and how much they have invested into me and I know that they will always be in my corner and do anything for me. Another one of my important members would be my coach at Lab Trained wrestling club, Greg Hagel. The club instills important qualities like hard work, perseverance, consistency and many others that you can apply into your life outside of wrestling which is something I will be grateful for and carry with me for the rest of my life. I consider my mentors and everyone who has been a part of my journey so far to be my family and I would do anything for them like they would for me.
Q: Tell us a little about your pre-match preparation the day of a match.
A: My pre-match preparation is the same thing every time. This is another property that my club coach, Coach Hagel, has instilled in me to be very valuable and to get you ready for every time you go out on the mat. After weigh-ins, I have some fruit and water and then get in a good warmup with a rolling sweat. After, I have a source of carbs and fats and more water for sustained energy to be ready for the whole day. When the match is coming up I get in a small warmup to get my blood pumping and ready to go. Then I strap up and say a quick prayer then get ready to go.
Q: What do you think you would like to major in at the University of Pittsburgh? Is there a particular career field that interests you at the present time?
A: My dream is to help people in the mental health field because it is a subject I hold very near and dear to my heart and I want to help people as much as I can without the use of medicine. I am a strong believer in taking a more natural route for the mental health of all people and someday I want to find more ways to help people like that.
Fun facts – James Lledo
Favorite TV show: Paradise PD.
Favorite pre-meet pump-up song: Sweet Dreams, by Eurythmics; and Don’t Stop Believing by Journey.
Favorite place to visit: “The beach.”
Favorite pre-meet meal: Brown rice and avocado.
Person I most admire, and why: “I admire my mother and how hard she has worked for my family day in and day out to provide for us. She has sacrificed so much for me and my family and is more than I could ever ask for in a person and I am truly blessed to have her as my mother. She is the most amazing, interesting and loving person I have ever met, and I will always look up to her the most for who she is.”
(To be selected for Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by his coach.)
