A Champion’s Mentality

by Caleb Henson

In sports, even in life, attitude and mindset are everything.

It doesn’t matter how much time I spend in the gym training and working out; if I’m not in the right frame of mind, I’m not going to go out there and succeed.

When I competed for a national title a few months ago, I was careful not to let the moment get the best of me, you know?

I’m out there against the best wrestlers in the NCAA. I had to stay as focused and present as possible if I wanted my hand raised high and fulfill my dream of winning a national title.

And I was able to do just that — win the national title in the 149-pound weight class at the 2024 NCAA Championships.

Through my hard work, discipline, and razor-sharp determination, I was able to bring just the second national title back to VT in program history.

So now what?

As a sophomore, I accomplished my ultimate individual goal for my collegiate career, so am I able to take it easy now?

Not train as hard?

Coast for the next two years?

Not a chance!

The work has only just begun.

Preparation is everything

I placed fifth at NCAAs as a freshman, which gave me some familiarity of knowing what to expect on the biggest stage of college wrestling.

And let me tell you, it’s an absolute war.

NCAAs consist of three straight days of the most exhausting mental and physical toll I’ve ever experienced in my life.

Wrestling has enough mental anguish as it is because people sometimes forget, on a given week, it’s not so much your opponent that’s going to take you to your limit.

It’s the scale.

That weight cut is no joke, and it only intensifies when you’re wrestling in the biggest matches of your career.

What helped me the most with my weight cut and these matches against the best wrestlers in the country was my preparation.

While it’s true that the NCAAs aren’t the same as a regular season dual, it’s those duals and matches that prepared me for the big moment.

I know it sounds simple, but in order to compete at a high level, you just have to trust the process. Put in the work, go through the daily grind, and the results will come.

It’s like that Muhammad Ali quote: “Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.”

I really embody that message and take it to heart because it’s the training I do in the offseason and those early-season duals that make all the difference in the world.

An elite opportunity

When I climbed the top of the mountain and won the national title after a grueling three days, I felt a combination of gratitude, shock, and relief.

I think one of my favorite moments was when a bunch of the guys on the team came running over and started congratulating me and going crazy.

That meant so much to me because while wrestling is definitely considered an individual sport, I don’t win that title without my teammates, coaches, training staff, nutritionists, etc.

I love VT, so to be surrounded by those guys and all the support I receive in Blacksburg, it’s a blessing in so many different ways. I wouldn’t want to compete for a national title at any other school.

It’s funny, I was on cloud nine for a while after winning, but as time has passed, I’ve come back down to earth a little bit.

Don’t get me wrong. Winning a national title is something I’ll always be proud of and remember for the rest of my life, but I also don’t want to limit myself, right?

Because you know what’s even better than being a national champion?

A three-time national champ!

And that’s really what I’m focused on right now.

I took time in the offseason to prioritize my health after a long and tough season, but I’m back in the gym to continuing to develop and improve.

Winning multiple national championships would put me in an elite group, and that’s my new goal and what I’ll be striving for in these next two years.

It’s an opportunity that very few people get to pursue, so it’s not something I’m ever going to take for granted.

I’m blessed beyond belief for everything I’ve accomplished thus far in my career. I’m going to work tirelessly to make sure I leave it all on the mat these next two years and do something incredibly special for a university that means everything to me.

Hungry for more

It’s no secret that a crucial part of my success is not looking too long in the rearview mirror. There’s a reason why the rearview mirror is smaller than the windshield, because where you’re going is way more important than where you’ve been.

I’m always hungry for more.

But I also don’t want to look too far ahead and get ahead of myself. I have so much more I want to accomplish here as a collegiate wrestler, but still, I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about wrestling at the Olympics.

It’s been a lifelong dream of mine, so as far as long-term goals are concerned, it’s right up there at the top of the list.

I’ll graduate in 2026, so the timing actually works out perfectly to try and make a run for the 2028 Olympics in LA.

While that is a long way off and not something I’m going to fixate on too much, competing on the world stage at the Olympics is another motivating factor that’s going to push me forward.

If I have a brutal weight cut, I’m going to get through it and make weight.

If my body’s telling me to quit during an exhausting workout or training session, I’m going to finish no matter what it takes.

Because I truly believe with the right attitude and mindset, there isn’t anything I can’t accomplish.

If I give everything I have and work endlessly toward my goals, there’s no guarantee I’ll have my hand raised.

But I’ll always be able to hold my head high.

That's for sure.