Dalton Brady, a 120-pound junior, won his third Arizona state title Saturday night.
Photo by Jason Skoda
Ever since word broke that Dalton Brady returned to Arizona, there have been questions about what it meant for his future.
None of that seemed to matter Saturday night.
Brady's smile was as large as his international potential as he milled around his
Chandler (Ariz.) teammates on the floor at Tim's Toyota Center celebrating the team's Division I state wrestling title, the first for the program since 1990.
"This right here is why we are back. He just helped his team to a team championship," Brian Brady, his father, said. "We weren't going to get that anywhere else."
Anywhere else for five months was the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., where Brady was invited to train over the summer. Eventually Dalton withdrew from Chandler as his father and he decided to move to Colorado permanently and train there year-round with the nation's best competitors and coaching staff.
"It was an amazing opportunity," Brady, a 120-pound junior, said after winning his third state title. "They freshen you up on technique, but the mental side is where you are really challenged."
For someone who has the aspirations (Olympics) that he does, the resume (fifth at the FILA Cadet World Championships in Hungary) he has and the desire he has to be challenged (119-1 against Arizona competition), it was the right move for Dalton the wrestler.
Logistically, however, there were some struggles for Dalton the teenager.
When questions about recruiting and his eligibility popped up after he enrolled at Coronado (Colorado Springs, Colo.) near the OTC, they didn't want to risk messing with the chance of missing the high school season.
Being a four-time champ has been a goal for a long time and it didn't make sense to risk that, along with the other things pulling them back to Arizona. Like his mom, Laurie, who was still in Arizona, which made the five months feel like five years.
"I missed my wife and my house was there," Brian said. "He got better but what price do you pay? Our team just won state and we weren't expected to. It doesn't get much better than being a kid and sharing in something like this that you will always remember."
Brady will return this summer to the OTC to go through another baptism into the life he hopes to live full-time someday, and then come back for his senior year at Chandler.
"They understood why we left and I can go back whenever I want," Dalton said. "I couldn't ask for a better situation. My goals haven't changed. I'll be back when the timing is right."
Jason P. Skoda, a former Arizona Republic and current Ahwatukee Foothill News staff writer, is a 15-year sports writing veteran. Contact him at jskoda1024@aol.com or 480-272-2449.
