Standing among middle school students on local athletic fields, Ethan Long never fails to attract attention thanks to his powerfully built body, 6-foot-1 stature and 180-pound frame.
A man among boys, the eighth-grader is an athletic protégé, who has set new standards of individual excellence across five sports and led numerous local teams to championships.
What sets the promising young star apart, however, is not just his unique athletic acumen, but a level charisma, humility and faith rarely found in young men his age.
“I get a lot of my talent and skill from God,” said Long. “He helps me with wisdom and guidance. There’s always pressure, and there are always people who want to root against the top dog, but I just stay humble and work hard.”
State wrestling champion
Bolstered by his faith and bettered by hours of hard work in the gym, Long traveled to the Colorado Middle School State Wrestling Tournament in Denver, April 3-4, and returned home with a state title.
Competing in the 171-pound division, Long pinned his first four opponents, including the son of ex-NFL star Doug Martin, before winning a 4-0 decision over Salida’s Eli Smith in the championship match.
Thanks to his efforts, Long concluded his season with a 32-0 overall record and was named the “outstanding wrestler” for the upper-weight divisions in a tournament that featured 772 wrestlers and 352 wrestling clubs.
“When you get to the Denver Coliseum, the whole arena is filled, and it’s pretty fun,” Long said. “It was definitely a great experience because not a lot of people get to (win a state title).”
“Ethan did everything that it takes to be a state champion,” said Dolores Middle School coach Leo Garand. “He lifted, he ran and he was at every workout. With his workout and his focus, he could win multiple state championships at the high school level.”
Five-sport star
While Garand’s words would drive nearly any other wrestler to compete at the high school level, Long said that there is a coin flip’s chance that he will hit a high school mat due to his other athletic interests.
Among those interests is a special affinity for the basketball court, where Long controlled games from the shooting-guard position and led Cortez Middle School to a league title earlier this season.
The eighth grader has also enjoyed success as the quarterback on CMS’s football team, leading the Jaguars to a league title as a seventh grader and a league championship appearance while in eighth grade.
“I’m pretty multifaceted,” said Long, when asked about his football skills. “I can sit in the pocket if I want to, but I can definitely get away from someone if they are coming at me. My goal is to one day win a high school state championship.”
Other athletic interests for Long include track and field, where he has run a sub-55-second 400-meter dash and is quickly approaching the Cortez Middle School record in the discus, which is held by his older brother, Seth.
Long has also starred as a catcher, pitcher and infielder on local Little League and travel-ball teams and plans to play baseball in high school.
When asked about the keys to his success, Long pointed to support provided by his family, which includes a mother that played Division I volleyball and two uncles and a grandfather that played Division I basketball and several other college athletes.
Long’s older brother, Seth, currently plays four varsity sports at the high school level, and his sister, Makayla, stars in multiple sports and excels as one of the area’s top Little League Baseball pitchers.
“My family has always supported me and my biggest driver and supporter has been my dad,” Long said. “My brother, Seth, has really helped me get better, and my sister, Makayla, will never let me get away with anything easy.”
As for his future, Long said that he hopes enjoy stellar results as a high school and college athlete, while continuing to excel in the classroom. He currently carries a 4.0 GPA at Lighthouse Christian Academy and hopes to one day work in the medical field.
Asked what advice he might provide to young athletes in the area, Long paused for a minute before offering the following poignant words.
“Excellence requires a lot of determination and hard work and you can’t just settle for mediocrity,” Long said. “You have to live in the weight room and do anything to push your body to be the best that it can be. It’s important not to give up.”
Strong words, to say the least, from a young, yet charismatic athlete, who figures to be one of the area’s best in the years to come.