He is not the biggest, but at 112 pounds... Poway's Ryan Nasseri is one of the best.
"At his size he's obviously not going to be a football player, or basketball player. Wrestling was a great fit for him," said Poway Wrestling Coach Wayne Branstetter.
Don't let his size fool you. Nasseri knows how to make opponents pay on the mat.
"I want to wrestle my match. Meaning I want to make that guy do what I want him to do. Even if I don't win I want to make sure that guy knows I want to wrestle him back," said Nasseri.
In his first season on Poway's varsity 'A' team, he's having amazing success. Ryan achieved all-american status recently winning a national meet in Reno, Nevada.
"What was going through my head was you just joined some of the greatest people that ever walked in the Poway High wrestling room," Nasseri proudly proclaimed. "It's a pretty cool feeling."
Seeing some of those names up on the wall in the wrestling room really motivates him.
"My ultimate goal is to place in the state meet, hopefully the top three," said Nasseri. "That's what I've been working for the past four years, a chance to place in the state meet. It should be tough, but I can do it."
The hard work Ryan has put in is really paying off. Now, he'd like to help other kids through his success.
A 4.2 student, Nasseri and a teammate have wrestled with an ambitious senior project. They're hosting a wrestling tournament for the Poway Elite program. Parts of the proceeds are going to kids in need at Rady's Children's hospital.
" I want to help out the children's hospital. This was the best way I knew how," added Nasseri. "It's a great feeling my tournament is going to be able to help other kids, kids suffering from cancer, kids who really need help."
Nasseri has turned into a real role model according to his coach.
"He's awesome. If I could have 14 of him on the varsity every year, I could coach to my grave I think. It'd be real easy to coach," said Branstetter.
When it comes to Ryan Nasseri, he's a winner on the mat and off.
