#TeamUSATuesday: Greco-Roman National Team Member Michael Hooker

Michael Hooker is currently No. 3 on the Greco-Roman National Team at 72 kg. Hooker is a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army and a member of the Army World Class Athlete Program. Recently we spoke with Michael and asked him a few questions.

What is your favorite movie?
Gladiator
Who is your favorite musical artist?
Johnny Cash
What is your favorite food?
Ice cream - cookies and cream is my favorite flavor.

What is your favorite sport to watch other than wrestling?
Football - I’m a Tennessee Titans fan for pro football and the Volunteers for college.
Did you play any other sports growing up?
I ran track and played football all four years of high school.
Who is your favorite wrestler to watch either past or present?
Dennis Hall
What are some of your other hobbies off of the mat?
Golfing with Max Nowry
What is your biggest fear?
Seeing Coach Dremiel Byers walking into Popeye’s.
Do you have any plans once your wrestling career is over?
I’m a certified public adjustor in the State of Tennessee. I have my own LLC, E*Claims LLC. Whenever I decide to finish wrestling, I’m going to transition to that business.

How did you first get involved in wrestling?
I was eight years old when I started. My dad, Michael Hooker Sr., wrestled in high school and college and Middle Tennessee University back when they had a Division 1 program.

What was the best advice you’ve received in your career?
Play multiple sports and don’t cut weight. I think too many kids are cutting too much weight and not enjoying the sport.

What advice would you give to a younger wrestler?
Have fun and grow in the sport. Try to be an overall athlete and not just a wrestler. Those are the guys that usually end up being the best wrestlers. Don’t try to cut weight to win matches. Get in the weight room.

Do you have any pre-match rituals?
I like to listen happy, relaxing music before I go out to the mat.

What motivates you during training?
I find motivation in all the hard work that I’ve already put in through the years. I don’t want to waste it by not continuing to train hard.

What is your best wrestling memory to date?
My senior year of high school I won a state title and my team also won the team title. That was a pretty special moment.

How did you end up in the Army World Class Athlete Program?
I’ve known about the WCAP program since eighth grade. I knew Philip, William and Patrick Simpson, who were all WCAP athletes, because my father wrestled in college with their dad. I went to the Naval Academy after graduating high school, but I didn’t like it there. I then spent a year at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga before I realized I wanted to join the Army and wrestle Greco. I enlisted in the army and moved out to Colorado. I took a chance and I made the team. I also ended up getting my degree from the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs.

What was your first experience with Greco-Roman wrestling?
I had a club coach named Bobby Demerit. He wrestled Rob Herman and the Navy Team back in the 90s. He helped me with Greco and was very influential in me wanting to do Greco. I think he made a couple National Teams in the 90s. I took third at Fargo Cadets and FILA Cadets and fifth at Virginia Beach Nationals growing up, so I knew I could be good at Greco.
You wrestled at 75 kg a couple years ago and made the National Team at 72 kg. You’re currently wrestling at the Olympic weight class of 67 kg. How are you handling the cut?
It’s tough. It’s good though. It’s about maintaining discipline and making sure you get in the room and hit cardio hard and eat healthy food like chicken and salad. It’s about doing the right things so you can set yourself up for the best success.

Are there any interesting facts about yourself that you’d like to share?
I am one of nine siblings. I have six older sisters and two younger brothers.

The Hooker file
Birthday: January 28, 1993
High school: Father Ryan
Hometown: Nashville Tennessee
College: University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
Residence: Colorado Springs, Colo.
Club: Army WCAP
Instagram: @Michael.Hooker
• 2015 Dave Schultz Memorial International champion
• Third at 2019 U.S. Open
• 2019 World Team Trials Challenge Tournament runner-up
• Three-time Tennessee state champion