Checkmate: Boswell's in control
'Captain Cougar' has right wrestling qualities
February 2000
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BY FRED JETER
Times-Dispatch Staff Writer
Unofficially, Collegiate School varsity wrestling coach Wortie
Ferrell has a checklist he uses in sizing up younger athletes who
might have an interest in wrestling.
Categories include speed, strength, toughness and smarts.
After evaluating the talents of a group of middle schoolers a few
years ago, Ferrell's list on Patrick Boswell read check, check, check
check.
At the time, Ferrell served as Boswell's sixth-grade history teacher
and advisor.
Understandably, one thing Ferrell advised Boswell to do was sign
up for wrestling.
"My parents weren't too keen on it at the time, " Boswell said.
"I hadn't wrestled and my older brothers hadn't, but Mr.Ferrell
played a large role in my life. He helped us decide which sports
were best for us, and we all looked up to him."
With a laugh, Boswell added: "And at my height - about 5-8 -
I wasn't exactly cut out for basketball."
Boswell wrestled on Ferrell's cub squad in seventh grade before
joining the varsity Cougars as an eight-grader.
Since then, his record - spanning several weight classes - is a
stand up and be noticed 106-41.
This season at 145 pounds he is 11-3 and ranked at the top of the
area coaches' poll.
"Patrick has been doing this a long time, and he is a very advanced
wrestler compared to what you usually see on this level," Ferrell
said. "He's strong in every area on the mats. Plus, he's a great
kid, a great student and very respected by his teammates."
That peer respect has led to Boswell being named as captain of his
three different sports at Collegiate.
In addition to wrestling, he was captain of the cross-country squad
this past fall and was co-captain (with Harry Wilson) last baseball
season.
"I remember as an eight-grader how the captains were like gods to
me,"said Boswell, alias "Captain Cougar."
"I always thought that if I had the chance [to captain], I would.
Now I have that chance."
As a sophomore, Boswell was third in both the Prep League and
State Independent Schools meet. Last winter, he won the Prep
League and took second at states.
Boswell's older brothers, Andy (class of '94) and Tim ('97) both
excelled in basketball and baseball at Collegiate before moving on
to Davidson college.
Patrick also has been accepted to Davidson and plans to enroll at
the Southern Conference affiliate next school year.
He hasn't decided whether he will pursue baseball, wrestling or
both.
"I want to wait and see how wrestling turns out and how I do in
baseball this spring before deciding on that," he said.
As a baseball player, Boswell was used at five positions last spring
while earning team MVP honors.
Before Ferrell convinced him to join the wrestling program, most
of Boswell's athletic energy was focused on the baseball diamond.
As a 13-year-old, he was on a Tuckahoe Little League all-star squad
that won area, state and regional crowns before falling in sectional
play in Florida.
Boswell's other activities include serving as sports editor of the
school newspaper and as a junior deacon at First Presbyterian Church.
He also is an avid camper and hiker. This past summer he went on a
mountain-climbing expedition to the Swiss Alps.
"We were hiking at about 10,000 feet," he said. "I feel like I built
up my leg strength and endurance on that trip. It has a carryover to
my sports this school year."
Boswell ran his personal-best times for cross country distance this
past fall for the Cougars.
Another quality Ferrell looks for in a wrestling prospect is endurance.
With that in mind, you might add another check mark beside Boswell's
name.
© 2000, Richmond Newspapers Inc.