DeVaughn Carter

The first two years of DeVaughn Carter’s wrestling career had its up and downs, but when Coach Billy McDermott took over the Norwood program, the then junior grappler saw things moving in the right direction. As a freshman, Carter was enticed by junior Mike McDonough to join the wrestling program to help his football career. The Mustang linebacker took the chance and decided to continue with wrestling.
“After trying it out I stuck around as I liked the control environment about the sport,” Carter said. “It’s just you and the other person on the mat wrestling; you know who’s at fault, win or lose.”
During his inaugural season with the team, Carter wrestled in the 138 weight class and found that the sport was much tougher than he had anticipated. The Norwood freshman found he was having difficulty getting use to the sport and would need to not only improve his stamina but his overall conditioning as well. Following the season, in which Carter did not have a good campaign, he began lifting weights.
Wrestling at 145 the following year, Carter looked like a person who knew what was going on. Unfortunately, just as he had found his rhythm, he was suspended from the team due to bad grades.
“Just before the Sectionals I was told I could not wrestle anymore because of my grades,” Carter explained. “That was a reality check for me. I realized that I had to focus harder on my grades if I want to participate in sports.”
In addition to the reality check, Norwood was bringing in a new head wrestling coach in McDermott. According to Carter, the new coach had installed upon the team a new philosophy. That season, wrestling at 152, Carter went 8-11 and found himself as an alternate at the State Wrestling Tournament, and although her did not get to take the mat, it gave him a new found life.
“I didn’t get to wrestle at the States but it gave me the motivation to improve upon my skills for the upcoming season,” Carter said. “I needed to step up my game and train harder to make sure that I not only got back to the States but I get to wrestle there.”
McDermott is not taking full credit for Carter’s success, but he knows he has had some input.
“This year he’s all into the program, not just wrestling but with his school work as well,” the Mustang Coach said. “I think having the same coach for the past two years has helped him. DeVaughn’s a scrappy guy on the mat and while it can get him into some bad situations he has the strength to get out of them.”
In his fourth year on the team, McDermott has had Carter bouncing back and forth between 152 and 160 depending on where the team needs him more.
“Occasionally I have had to bump him up to 160 for the good of the team,” McDermott said. “It doesn’t really bother him. He just wants to wrestle and as long as he’s in the lineup he doesn’t seem to care.”
Carter, who is currently 7-4 at the time of this writing, agreed with his coach.
“I am more comfortable wrestling at my 152 weight class, but I am also capable of 160,”Carter said. “When I do wrestle at 160, Coach told me that I need to use my technique against the bigger guys if I want to win.”
Carter showed his versatility in the Marshfield Tournament where he wasn’t even seeded in the 32-man field. The Norwood wrestler went into the tournament with an agenda and when all was said and done, found himself in 12th place.
Being named captain by his teammates this year has given the senior a sense of fulfillment.
“Naming me captain showed me that all my hard work had paid off and that they respected me for it,” Carter said. “I just want to go out and help this team become better and have the other wrestlers improve each and every week.”
Following high school Carter has no intentions of wrestling for a collegiate program. He’s looking to join the Navy and become a Navy Seal hoping that his football and wrestling background at Norwood help him accomplish this goal.