GLOCESTER, RI (WPRI) — This week’s Cardi’s Furniture & Mattresses Hometown Sports Hero is Jacob Joyce.
The Ponaganset Senior took home his third State Wrestling Title then earned his second straight New England Gold, helping the Chieftains earn the team titles in both competitions.
“A lot of us have grown up together, we’ve trained a lot together,” Joyce said. “Obviously, I mean even over the Summer, we train a lot so we’re friends outside the mat and it’s more like a family than just a team.”
Family brought Jacob to the sport. His Dad, Mike, helped turn Ponaganset into a regional power as a coach. His brother, Michael, was a State Champ who now wrestles at Brown and his little brother Joe won gold at 138 pounds at the State Meet.
“I mean it definitely was motivating, and I had people to look up to,” Jacob said. “It made it seem just more like an everyday kind of thing, instead of just a sport on the side. You know, it was more of a lifestyle.”
In June, Jacob will head out West to begin his career at Stanford University. The Cardinal finished 3rd at this year’s PAC-12 Championships and sent six wrestlers to the NCAAs. He’s ready to continue his growth at the next level.
“It’s very exciting, in Middle School there was the same kind of transition where you get really good, with your age group, then you go up and you’re at the bottom, so I’ve experienced it a little bit and I’m ready to go and work my way back up the pole again, but I’m really excited to go to Stanford, it’s a great opportunity,” Joyce said. “I’ve been watching NCAAs for years now, they had it going on this weekend, cheered on those guys and it’s just exciting to know that I’ll be in that situation soon, too.”
If you have a Hometown Sports Hero you’d like to nominate, email sports@wpri.com.
