Everyday people make plans for their future.

What they want to be in twenty years.

How much money they make.

They paint dreams bigger than life itself, but it’s rare to see someone with the work ethic to actually accomplish everything they’ve dreamed.

Senior Alex Chartier is too busy working towards his future to worry about dreams.

In addition to being the captain of the wrestling team, he is in the advanced stages in the submission process the United States Military Academy, or commonly known as West Point. After securing the recommendation of a senator, maintaining high academic standards, and pledging a term of service, he is simply waiting for the final decision. Chartier isn’t waiting for West Point to fall in his lap. He’s chasing it down.

But Chartier’s story doesn’t start at the regional wrestling tournament or in New York at West Point.

Those are just the side effects of something that goes a little deeper than a list of accopmlishments.

His story starts with insatiable need to be great.

“I want to be the best,” Chartier said. “And I figure if I have a chance, then I’m going to do it. I’m going to be the best,”

If there is even a slight hope that he has the capability to achieve greatness, Cartier’s very nature is to puruse that hope until it becomes reality. Growing up, he was always involved in sports: baseball, soccer, football, and any other physical activity. At the beginning of freshmen year, wrestling became his newest challenge, with an emphasis on challenge.

“[In my first match] I had no idea what I was doing, and I go out there and I shake his hand and I’m all nervous. I ended up getting pinned, second round. It was horrible,” said Chartier.

He lost his second match.

And his third.

Fourth

And fifth one.

“I came in and I just lost. It was horrible, and I didn’t want to keep losing so I put in the extra work,” said Chartier.

Chartier’s story begins with his desire to work. He simply didn’t like to lose. He watched as each of his teammates walked to the mat only to join him in defeat. But, he still went to practice every day after school. He still went to every tournament and worked harder than most had the capability to.

He perservered.

Chartier finally won his first match at his fifth tournament.

“He was very driven, very dedicated once he learned the sport. Once he learned to like the sport, he fell in love with it,”  George Ranch wrestling Coach James Kirby said.

After winning his first match, he went on to win his first tournement.

Chartier didn’t look back. Even after wrestling for the district and regional championship, Chartier had to find someone bigger to throw himself at. So he hired a personal trainer so that he could perfect his technique and compete against better wrestlers.

It’s one thing to have the drive to become successful, but drive alone isn’t enough when it comes to a wresting. There has to be something that ties that drive down to reality, because no matter how much you want something, you have be able to endure the struggle along the way.

After the end of the season, coach Kirby said “His toughness is what really stood out. He could take a beating and keep going on. I’ve seen him make it through a lot of matches that I know a lot of other people couldn’t, because he has that tolerance and that drive.”

With a natural tolerance, or as he describes it, love for physical challenges, Chartier was able to climb the ranks from the freshman that won his first match at his fifth tournament to the district champion of his weight class and a prospect for one of the most prestigous and exclusive colleges in the country.