As a first time Perry wrestler back in 2016, Travis Calloway set the stage for the next four years of his high school wrestling career with a 19 win record on varsity. The wins would only continue to rack up from there, as the 195 pound wrestler continued his career as a Perry Puma.

This year Calloway finally broke the record for most varsity wins, knocking out the 130 win record setter Arch Ratliff, who now coaches for the team. Ratliff was encouraging toward Calloway, “He wanted me to break his record, he’s a coach, so he wants his wrestlers to be better than him,” said Calloway.

He has been working toward the goal ever since he had the opportunity to wrestle on the varsity team as a freshman. His brother is the one who originally encouraged him to strive for breaking the record, and he had it in mind ever since then.

At last, in this, his last season as a Perry Puma, Calloway was able to smash the record and continue to rack up win after win at each tournament, ending his senior season with a grand total of 144 wins on varsity, and second place in the state wrestling tournament.

“I’ve always tried to have my name be known pretty well,” said Calloway. Whether it is on the football field or the wrestling mat, Calloway makes it a point to stand out more than the other wrestlers, and his coaches seem to notice that.

From the time he was a freshman, making his wrestling debut up until his senior season, he never failed to make an impression on the coaches during each match that he wrestled in as a Perry Puma.

He made it a point to lead the football team out of the tunnel for each game, and brings the same hype to the wrestling team when leading them onto the mats before a meet. Not only is he a leader for the team, but he also is very driven to perform at the highest level that he can.

“The biggest thing you can see in Travis is that he has a toughness that most kids don’t have.” said Johnson, he continued, “Toughness doesn’t mean ‘I’m gonna beat you up’, toughness means you never quit, toughness means there is no such thing as a practice that is too hard, toughness means if you have a fever, you still go out and compete, toughness means that when you have a loss you bounce back and win the next one. And that is what Travis has more than any other kid.”

He is driven to be the best example that he can be, and always tries to be a role model for his teammates, and a leader for them both on and off the mat. Calloway will leave his mark on the wrestling program as well as the school, as a wrestler, football player, and most importantly a role model for other students.