Lion-hearted Lamb — Destinite wrestles down scholarship in Canada

From the white sands to The Great White North, Brock Lamb is making his move.

Destin’s Lamb has received a wrestling scholarship to Simon Fraser University in Burnaby Mountain in British Columbia, near Vancouver.

“I’m so excited,” said the native Canadian. “It’s kind of like going back home.”

Lamb, who moved to Destin when he was 10, grew up in Whistler, which is about two hours away from the university he will be attending. He is the son of Deanne and Brent Lamb

“I’ve been up and toured the campus and met the coaches,” he said.

The campus is on top of a mountain, “it’s kind of cool,” Lamb said.

Lamb, 18, is a graduate of Niceville High School.

The 5-foot-10 wrestled for the Gold Eagles of Niceville all four years of high school and finished second in the state as a senior, while the team finished fifth.

“It was a close final match … a rough one,” he said. “But you can’t dwell on the past.”

Lamb, who now weighs 170-175, wrestled in the 152-weight class as a senior.

Lamb was drawn to the sport because of his dad, Brent.

“My dad was a big wrestler and it was always a big part of his life,” Lamb said. “But once I started, it became a part of mine.”

Lamb said he likes the one-on-one aspect of wrestling.

“I like that it’s an individual sport,” he said. “You don’t have to count on your teammates to pull you through.” Basically, “It comes down to just you.”

To be a good wrestler, Lamb said his coach stressed three things — technique, conditioning and strength.

“But above all you’ve got to be mentally strong,” he said. “Confidence is what it’s all about.”

To get ready for a match, Lamb said he always warms up.

“I listen to my music (anything but country) and work up a sweat, so I’m ready to go by the time I hit the mat,” he said.

Wrestling is not the only sport Lamb has excelled in.

He recently competed with the Destin Beach Safety crew at the Nationals for lifeguards.

Lamb started as a junior lifeguard four years ago. And after two years in the junior program, he served as an instructor for the juniors. This year he was on the beach as a professional lifeguard.

What does lifeguarding and wrestling have in common?

“Both require a ridiculous amount of conditioning,” he said. “You’ve got to be in good shape.”

As a lifeguard, he trains every morning on the beach. “But that keeps me in shape over the summer” and ready to hit the mats for wrestling.

Simon Fraser University has “one of the best teams,” he said. “They have the best output of Olympic wrestlers.

Does Lamb have dreams of reaching the Olympics?

“I’d like to try for the Olympics … that’s a cool thought, but it’s a long way away,” he said.

For now, he plans to go to school and be back on the beaches of Destin as a lifeguard in the summer. “It’s a fun job to have. I love it.”