During his sophomore year of high school, Sharron Townsend
’16 was on the verge of being cut from his school’s wrestling team. He lacked
the passion, determination and zeal that is a necessary characteristic of every
successful athlete.
Townsend’s apathy towards wrestling would prove transient,
and just one year later he completed a memorable 35-5 season. He was named team
captain his junior year, and it was then that he resolved to get 100 wins, and
become the wrestler he was destined to be.
But becoming a champion caliber wrestler wasn’t all that
Townsend set out to accomplish. Growing up in adverse conditions, Townsend now
looks back proudly upon his accomplishments, and has proven his ability to
overcome those adversities by being the first member of his family to attend
college. The Camden, NJ native grew up fatherless, and his mother had the
responsibility of Sharron’s five siblings. When the time came to attend high
school, Townsend left his hometown of Camden, and enrolled as a boarding
student at Milton Hershey.
At Milton Hershey, he excelled athletically, as a
three-sport athlete all four years of high school, and exemplified the highest
degree of leadership, spending his spare time helping others in any way he
could.
Townsend earned a number of accolades, and his academic and
athletic successes were nationally recognized. His senior year, Townsend was
honored with one of the most selective athletic awards in Pennsylvania, the
John Travers Award. In addition, Townsend was the Class Vice President for the
National Honor Society, and was the winner of Steve Harvey's Dreamers Academy National Contest. To supplement his
success, Townsend capped off his high school career as one of Milton Hershey’s
all-time best wrestlers, recording 111 career wins—second most in school
history.
Though the prospect of wrestling at the NCAA Division I
level at a top tier academic institution was appealing, it was the connection
that Townsend found between himself and F&M’s wrestling coaches that led
him to Lancaster. During the recruiting process, F&M head coach Mike Rogers
remained in constant contact with Townsend, checking up on him, attending matches
and practices, and just being a friend.
“The beliefs that the coaches had that I also believed in
inspired me to come here,” Townsend said. “It’s easy to go D. II or D. III, but
knowing that I’m doing it at this level, I wanted to test myself and see where
I land within the best of the best. I came to college, set a lot of goals for wrestling, and unfortunately right now I’m injured, but with the coaching staff
and other wrestlers, I know I can, and I’m just hoping for the best.”
As a student, Townsend
volunteered at the local homeless shelter in Harrisburg, heading groups that
assisted with cooking and cleaning. During the summers, he shared his love of
wrestling with elementary school students, whom he believes were able to teach
him as much as he taught them.
“I knew the little kids were looking up to me and it was
something that kept me motivated,” Townsend said. “It taught me
self-discipline, hard work, and how to go after whatever you want.”
Townsend also spent his Sunday mornings working with the
junior chapel, where he taught elementary age youth how to connect with God in
creative ways such as various arts.
Ever since his childhood, Townsend learned never to take
anything for granted, and to help those in need in any way he knew how. Growing
up, Townsend relied on the support his mother provided him, and things were
never easy as one of six kids in his family and no father. Wrestling provided a
fun and competitive outlet, but Townsend always had his sights set on something
bigger. He wanted to give back. Townsend dreamed of attending university in
order to obtain an education so that one day, he’d be able to thank his mother
for all she’d done for him. Today, Townsend is doing just that, and the
wrestling program is the buttress that will be there for the freshman every
step of the way.
“I knew Franklin & Marshall was a great school
academically, and there aren’t too many schools D III size with a D I
program,” Townsend said. “I know that when I graduate from here [F&M], I’m
going to set myself up for great things and one day be able to give back to my
mom like she gave to me.”
Though his wrestling goals were put on hold for this season
following a meniscus tear in the team’s first match of the season, Townsend has
remained a diligent student, altruistic individual, and true team player,
certain that upon his return, he will pick up right where he left off.
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