Subscribe
Community
Clegg signs with Army
McDonough grad's son off to wrestle at W. Point
Friday, June 26, 2009
 Click here to enlarge this photo Submitted photo
Huntsville High School graduate Joseph Clegg signs his wrestling scholarship to West Point. Seated with him are his mother, Julie, left, and father, Joe. Standing, from left, are Huntsville wrestling coach Cliff Pate, former coach Bengie Balentine and assistant coaches Josh Nickelson and Fred Kemp.
|
E-Mail This Article
Hard work pays off. Great wrestlers are a rare bred in sports today because it takes more than just a lifestyle of commitment, but an intellectual attitude of constant developing day in and day out to achieve greatness.
It's one of those sports that are based on a specific individual's performance.
Since the age of 9, Joseph Clegg, born in Savannah, Ga., has been successful through many wars and teachings on the mat. And with continued stout ability, the now Huntsville High School graduate signed his letter of intent recently to wrestle at the college level for Army in West Point, N.Y.
Clegg caught the eye of other major Division I such as Rutgers, Davidson, and American University, but West Point was set on highly recruiting him the most and he felt that was the more comfortable fit in his decision.
"I was pretty excited about signing," said Clegg about that special day. "I found out that I was getting in there before wrestling season started. The campus is right on the water, the Army housing is very huge and welcoming."
Clegg is not only one of the Black Knights prized recruits for the Class of 2013, but will be apart of the United States Military Academy as a cadet. Huntsville, in Alabama, is where Clegg made his mark among top wrestlers in the state.
In his four-year stint with the Panthers under head coach Cliff Pate, Clegg exemplified a 165-39 record and was a state qualifier. During his senior season this past winter, he finished third in the Class 6A state tournament at 145 pounds.
He was able to perform at a high level, gaining major exposure from wrestling 55 to 60 times a year during his respective years in high school, and face the top wrestlers from seven different states.
"I always trained hard in the room," said Clegg on his road to success throughout his career. "I had a great assistant coach [Fred Kemp] and [McDonough wrestling coach] Matt Myers came down [here] to work me out in the offseason."
Clegg added: "I will miss hanging out with friends; college will be different because I will now be under command and we will have to wear uniforms everyday [at West Point]."
Along a strong coaching staff during his high school career at Huntsville, Clegg's father, Joe, was one of the few foundation builders who got him started in his youth days.
Joe was a 1980 McDonough High School graduate who not only achieved greatness in wrestling under former Rams frontrunner Paul Kowalchick but did the same on the football field under former McDonough head coach Larry Johnson, who is now an assistant coach at Penn State University.
After attending Towson State University later on, now referred to as Towson, Joe continued his wrestling career and after college went into the military as an Army officer, working as a helicopter pilot where he was stationed in Alabama, Kansas, Germany and Georgia.
Then, from 1998 to 2005, is where he helped his son learn the ropes of wrestling in the Southern Maryland Junior League.
"He was the one who got me into wrestling," said the younger Joseph. "Dad always took me to a lot of camps and we would sit down and watch tapes, we studied wrestling."
Clegg pointed out that when he starts wrestling next season as a freshman he will not have to worry about the Army coaching staff preparing him for the high level of college ranks on a daily basis.
"[Head] coach Chuck Barbee is motivational from what I've heard and he pushes you very hard in the room," said Clegg, who wants to major in airspace engineering and held a 3.89 GPA in the classroom at Huntsville. "I just love wrestling and I will be looking forward to next season."
The elder Clegg mentioned how his son has been around military all of his life, which also was a reason in choosing West Point, which is based on a high level of discipline as a cadet that teaches them to be men both physically and mentally.
"Joseph was one of the first 50 [recruits] to get accepted to West Point," Clegg noted. "The coaches recruited him last summer and I think he's in shape and ready to take it to the next level. He has the natural ability and does not working hard in the off-season.
"He's a good kid and I'm glad I was able to give him the opportunity to succeed."
The younger Clegg, 18, has grandparents, Harry and Barbara, who reside in Drayden in St. Mary's County and once lived in White Plains. His father still has ties in Southern Maryland dating back to his McDonough days and always calls it home.
"I can see Joseph in a couple of years peaking just like Mike Cannon," said Clegg on his son being like the former Chopticon standout, who now is an All-American wrestler at American.
Clegg leaves for a seven-week basic training of the West Point Academy on June 29 and will get an early jump on what should be an interesting collegiate career.
