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SAM BREHM

Gannon - Sport & Excercise Science Major

Wexford / Pine-Richland HS

Brehm is a fourth-year junior for the Golden Knights wrestling team who is the primary starter at 157 pounds.  He posted a career-high 16 wins in 2010-11 coming off a redshirt year.  He is Pine-Richland's all-time leader with 117 victories and was the first wrestler at his school to qualify for the state championship since 1994. 

Realizing that my parents played a big role in my life, and now it was my turn to grow up. I was always the class clown with intelligence, so it was easy for me to slide by in high school without being punished for too much... Most people think that high school prepares you for college, not true. High school gives you the opportunity to go to college, and your family prepares you for life at college. I was blessed to have parents that understood the importance of letting me decide what I want to do, and at the same time showing me what would probably be a better choice in the long run... Oh, and college wrestling is like the Olympics coming from high school, you just have to stay with it and believe, because otherwise your body and mind will be broken. All that will be left is your spirit, that is what carries you through life. 

The freedom to create my own schedule to my life, and the relationships that have been made.

My major is sport and exercise science pre-physical therapy. I am partners with my brother and dad in a growing landscaping business called Brehm Co. I have started becoming an apprentice under Dr. Lyneil Mitchell at Revolution physical therapy. I believe the world is changing so drastically that to predict my career is like to ask a five year old what they will have for lunch 10 days from now. My desires for a career include helping people feel like a child in their heart, show them how to act like today will be the day that they are to be remembered, and to never stop thinking righteously. 

Beating teams that are ranked in the country when no one expects us to win is always fun. However, my top collegiate memory that will always stick with me is that feeling of blind faith in myself. That’s something that I can pass on to generations to come... believe.

Only God can judge that. My brother has a passion for bicycling... He and I grew up building outrageous dirt jumps all through the woods of my backyard, and neighboring woods. He traveled to Lake Tahoe for the national mountain bike race a few years ago. My Mom recently picked up her childhood passion of figure skating, and competes in national tournaments at the age of how old she is ;). My Dad and I still go out for a jog every once in a while... he was a college wrestler. My cousin Samantha Kaiser was the star women’s soccer player at Duquesne University for most of her career, and Edinborro University. My grandpa, Vitus J. Kaiser, was a Division I full scholarship wrestler and football player. So currently I’m the main one who all my 5-12 year old cousins pick on and wrestle during the holidays... however you would like to rate that.

Promise me whoever reads this must look this place up, and highly consider going. This place is heaven on earth. My family, along with 30-50 other families per week travel from all over the country to visit a YMCA camp in the mountains of Pennsylvania. It’s located at the highest peak in the state on a 200 acre lake full of fun and sun. We zip line across the lake, windsurf, sail, kayak, fish, play volleyball, mountain bike, rock climb, jump 25 feet out of a tree into a 52 degree giant natural spring, spend the time of our lives with friends who we have known for what seems like eternity, and then lay out under the stars and dream of far off galaxies. Literally. The stars are awesome at night, you really should go. NOW! This place is called Deer Valley. The friends and family made at this camp will stay with me through my existence in heaven, it’s infinite.

Hyleas Fountain. She is a USA Track and Field silver medalist heptathlete who competed at the Bejing Olympics. She is currently training for the London 2012 Olympics, and lives in my parents’ house whenever she is around. Dr. Lyneil Mitchell introduced her to my family and she likes the different approach to physical therapy that he provides. The reason that she makes the greatest influence on me from an athletic perspective is because she never tries to influence me. Hyleas lives like a true athlete from the Greek and Roman times, only prettier and has an iphone. She has real problems, like car troubles, and injuries to overcome. I am able to relate to her, and help. Whenever you can help an Olympic athlete that is when you realize we are all just doing whatever it takes to enjoy life.

If I could change one thing about the sport I play, it would be:

I wrestle, it’s not a sport, it’s a lifestyle. The thing that I would change about this lifestyle would be to inform people the importance of this becoming a lifestyle. If you don’t treat wrestling this way, you will be miserable. Understand that your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your character, and your character becomes your destiny.

Look bad? I might be able to look good on a field of Polo players. The game of Polo is one of those confusing sports that I don’t think anyone would look good playing. It doesn’t seem natural to ride a horse and play croquet at the same time.

The most addictive snack food for me is:

My mom makes this granola that is Quaker Oats with cut up almonds, raisins and then maple syrup brushed on it. Then you bake it for like an hour and a half. It’s unbeatable.

Matilda