2012-13 Results and Media Coverage
May 1, 2013
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Tyrek Malveaux finished his
spectacular high school wrestling career not really certain what he
plans to do next with his athletic career.
Despite being only the third three-time state champion in Comeaux High school history, it would seem like college wrestling would be the slam-dunk choice for him.
But he also played football for the Spartans and still hasn’t ruled out that option - even if it requires starting out at the junior college level.
There’s also a thought of him joining the Navy – which would make his grandfather, Alton Malveaux, happy.
And if he decides to stick with the sport he’s excelled at for years now, there are offers there, perhaps going as far west as Wyoming to do so.
Either way, however, it’s going to be a difficult choice for Malveaux. One, because he likes all three options. Secondly, and not really in that order, he’ll be leaving his grandparents, no matter which road he takes.
Whichever path he chooses, Malveaux will be doing so as the Daily Advertiser All-Acadiana Outstanding Wrestler for 2013.
“It’s going to be hard,” he said.
Malveaux and his sister have been
with their grandparents since he was 7 months for the most part and for
Tyrek full-time since he was 4 years old. |
Comeaux coach Keith Bergeron said it was no secret how unique the relationship between Malveaux and his grandparents is.
“They have a special bond,”
Bergeron said. “I don’t know if they ever
missed any of his tournaments. They are just very good people. They do the right
things and they expect Tyrek to do the right things.”
While his grandfather is leaning to the
military, Tyrek said his grandmother, Leona, is just ready to support whichever
road he chooses and his mother prefers football.
“I think he’s capable of doing it in football and definitely in wrestling,” Bergeron said.
Bergeron said Malveaux’s work ethic and high standards should push him to succeed. "He’s really been a pleasure to coach – both in wrestling and in football,” he said. “Coaches say a kid is coachable because he’s listens and takes constructive criticism and doesn’t make the same mistakes over and over again. “Tyrek was as coachable as any kid that I’ve ever coached.”
In addition to leaving his family, Malveaux said not having teammate Jacob Dale around will be an adjustment down the road if he selects wrestling. The two entered the Spartans’ wrestling program as freshmen together and almost immediately began challenging one another.
“If you go back and look, if he would lose in the finals, then I would lose,” Malveaux said. “We would also push one another. We would see who would pin guys the fastest and who would get the most pins. He was like my right-hand man.”
Dale moved away during sophomore campaign, however, and that was one of many lessons Malveaux learned during his prep wrestling career.
“Wrestling teaches you that when you get knocked down, you get right back up,” he said. “I didn’t expect to lose any matches my senior year, but I actually had a loss in Texas. That hit me hard, but I had to get my up. My team was there for me and they helped me get back up.”
In winning three straight state titles, however, obviously Malveaux didn’t have much rebounding to do during his career.
This past season, he finished 41-0 at 152 pounds in the eyes of the LHSAA, although he’ll admit that he lost in an out-of-state tournament.
Malveaux said he followed the college
career of David Bonin, who was the second Comeaux wrestler to win three straight
state titles and who recently finished his NCAA Division I career with a
fourth-place finish nationally.
“It (college wrestling) doesn’t scare me. I just haven’t made my decision yet.”
