TYNGSBORO – There’s simply no stopping Xavienh Quinones.
Born with amniotic band syndrome, which occurs when fibrous bands of the amniotic sac get tangled round a growing fetus, Quinones doesn’t have a proper hand. Despite his incapacity, he hasn’t let something stand in his method.
Growing up in Lowell earlier than transferring to Tyngsboro, the Greater Lowell Tech sophomore performed completely different sports activities as a child. His father, Angel, taught him find out how to shoot a basketball and hit a volleyball one-handed.
Once he arrived at the highschool, he took on even greater challenges. He performed on the freshman soccer crew as a large receiver and has labored his method into turning into a defensive again.
Playing on the gridiron obtained the eye of assistant wrestling coach Mike Gregory, who urged Quinones to attend a follow. Eighteen months later, Quinones has 13 varsity wins within the 113-pound weight class.
“Wrestling at first took a lot to get used to. I felt like I couldn’t do it. I did track before when I was in the eighth grade and I was pretty good in the hurdles so I figured I would just stick to that,” mentioned Quinones. “Coach Gregory then said to try wrestling, ride it through so I took his advice and I’m here loving this. Getting used to it took a while – it took me pretty much my whole freshman year. I usually stay in neutral and try to level change. I really can’t get into hand fights, but it’s easier to stay in neutral and use my speed.”
Quinones wrestled on the JV crew till he earned a varsity spot this season. That definitely was a milestone in his life, and shortly after one other milestone got here.
“After that first win, I felt like I was finally equal with everyone else and I could compete with everyone else,” he mentioned. “At first I didn’t suppose I’d have the ability to do compete and I used my hand as an excuse however coach Gregory simply helped construct (up my confidence) all through.
“My parents have always told me to keep trying and keep trying to do different stuff,” he continued. “With wrestling, I don’t have to rely on anybody. It’s all based on me and how much work I put in. These coaches just teach me so much and obviously with my hand, they just give me so many opportunities and show me different ways to do things.”
Xavienh mentioned that it actually wasn’t till he began attending faculty that he realized he had a incapacity.
“My parents told me about it when I was a kid and just really opened my eyes to it,” he mentioned. “Some people treated me different at first but I didn’t let it bother me. I just wanted people to accept me for who I am. It was a tough adjustment at first and a little uncomfortable, but after a while I started making some really good friends and they helped me out with (the mental aspect of it).”
That unbelievable psychological toughness has stayed with him in monitor, on the soccer discipline and on the wrestling mat.
“Xavienh is very coachable, he listens and he wants to learn,” mentioned Greater Lowell wrestling coach Tom Cassidy. “He’s very adaptable and most matches that he has, he goes the space. He’s good on his ft and likes to get his takedowns. We’ll train him some strikes and generally he can’t do it, however he makes changes. It’s very arduous for him to experience whereas on prime, so we’ll lower him free and let him wrestle on his ft and he’s actually good there.
“It’s very difficult to do what he’s doing but he does very well with it. He works on certain moves that he can do, and knows when to bail out on stuff that he can’t do. When that happens, he’ll give his opponent a point, and will get back on his feet and try for another takedown,” he added.
Despite the obstacles he faces on the wrestling mat, Quinones mentioned it’ll by no means cease him. He has large targets for his wrestling profession, which began with Saturday’s Division 1 sectional meet.
“When I started winning some matches, I didn’t think about my hand,” he mentioned. “I just saw myself as everybody else. I still think about that. It just feels really good that all my hard work (has paid off). These coaches have given me workouts and have helped me out the entire way. I’m just so grateful for all of their help.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com