As a freshman and sophomore, he saw it from above. Sitting in the stands at Assembly Hall for the IHSA Individual State Wrestling Finals, Kalvin Hill had watched the parade of champions from afar, dreaming of what it would be like to be there.

It was a dream he fulfilled this past winter — and then some — as the junior first paraded before the throngs of wrestling fans, then won the 160-pound weight class down in Champaign. In doing do, he became the sixth individual state champion in Minooka Community High School history.

"It was an amazing feeling. I had been in the stands for it before, but I always wanted to be in the grand march and knowing that thousands of people were watching me go for first place," Hill said. "It was a great feeling. It's what I've wanted since I started wrestling."

Hill finished with a 28-1 record and a state championship, for which the Morris Daily Herald has named him Wrestler of the Year.

"Not only is Kalvin turning into a great wrestler, but he is an outstanding person," Minooka coach Bernie Ruettiger said. "He treats people with respect and is willing to help others when they are in need."


Hello, Minooka

Hill and his family moved from Joliet to Minooka when Kalvin was in the third grade. His mother Kim was a track and field All-Stater in high school in the long jump, and she later received a scholarship to Illinois State University. His dad Rick was, simply, a playground star. Together with Kalvin's four brothers, the family went a long way towards pushing the state champ towards his destiny.

"When I was little, me and my four brothers like being competitive, and that's how it got started," Kalvin said of his early beginnings as an athlete.

Two years after moving to Minooka, Hill's best friend — and teammate now with the Indians — Jake Residori talked him into going out for wrestling. The rest, as they say, is history.

"My friend Jake Residori told me I should come out for wrestling when I was 10 years old," Hill said. "He started two years before me and told me I should try it. I did and I loved it. It being my first sport, my parents told me I should go out and that if I liked it that I should stick with it."


Sticktoitivness

Despite his success this past winter, Hill was not an instant success as a wrestler.

"My first year, I was not so good but I kept trying and finally made myself better and better and I became a winner," he said.

Hill was in the fifth grade at that point. His coaches for the Little Indians (now known as the Indians Elite) were Mark Brozovich and Brian Capodice.

"When I first started, the wrestling room was split with people who were just starting out on one side and the more advanced ones on the other and then they went over the basics," Hill said. "Coach Capodice helped me so much. We was a great guy and was always there helping me. It's because of him who I am today."

Hill said it was Capodice's way to teach him about the ins and outs of wrestling and the thought process that went into the sport.

"He would tell me after losing a match that if I went out there and did my best that you can't have any regrets," Hill said. "I've learned that going into a wrestling match is like going into a fight — you have to do whatever you can, but there is only going to be one winner. No matter what, you have to keep your head high and don't complain."

"After Mr. Capodice left, Mr. Brozovich was still my coach and so was Mr. Ruettiger. They helped me the rest of the years."


Playing football

Two years after taking up wrestling, Hill turned to the one sport he always loved playing with his friends in vacant lots.

"I started playing football in the seventh grade," Hill said. "It was always the first thing that I wanted to do since I was little. I wanted to play as a professional running back in the NFL."

Hill said that being a football player and a wrestler at the same time has advantages.

"There is a balance thing that helps between wrestling and football," he said. "Wrestling translates well to football."

Sometimes football is not reciprocal.

"In football, you take your hits every week, week in and week out, and it takes its toll. I got hurt in the playoffs when I hurt my right ankle and I had to sit out of practice and then I hurt my left ankle," Hill said of playing this past fall for the Indians. "It took its toll on me, but I worked with trainer Bob Flynn and he helped me recover. I did everything I needed to do and I had the support system to come back."


Fighting through injuries

Hill got a late start on the season before getting going into high gear.

"It was a struggle being in the practice room week after week. It hurt because I wanted to be out there for the team. I felt like I was letting the team down, but then finally it was time to come back," Hill said. "I was worried at first and wondered if it was going to slow me down, but the coaches told me I could push through it and I did. About half way through my return, I fought through it and never thought about it again."

Right off the bat, Hill returned to the lineup for the Indians and almost right away faced his most stern task of the season in Dylan Reel of Washington at the Red Schmidt Tournament. There, he beat Reel 8-5.

"He's probably the most talented opponent I've faced. He's a great wrestler. He's athletic and he's fast," Hill said of Reel. "It was the first time I had beaten him. It was a great feeling and it sparked a confidence in me as to how good I could be. After that, I had the confidence that I could beat anyone with hard work and dedication."

"He always had the talent to be a state champion, but it finally clicked for him when he beat Dylan Reel — a two-time state champion and a freestyle and greco All-American," Ruettiger said.

Hill's only loss of the season came to Malik Taylor of Brother Rice on Jan. 7. He easily recalled the one "letdown" of the season.

"That day I didn't wrestle my game. I was a little tentative and really for no reason. He had beaten me last year and before we wrestled this year I wanted to keep it close and wanted to work for that one takedown," Hill said. "Then he ended up getting the takedown. It was like a midseason crisis for me. I learned from it not to be tentative and it helped keep me focused the rest of the year."

Focused enough to finish on an unbeaten run, one which went through downtown Champaign.


Finishing with a flourish

"Going down to state I was confident. To me it was an all or nothing deal. As a freshman and sophomore, going down there I fell short both of those years and it was disappointing," Hill said. "Once I made it to the semifinals, I already knew I was a medalist and had nothing to lose so I went for the gold."

So now Hill says he's thinking of what it takes to repeat the performance.

"Winning state was a great accomplishment for me, but once you've done something like that, it makes you want to do it again ... it makes you want more," he said. "That's where I'm at. I want to do it again next year."