By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

Mark Skonieczny has been a wrestling coach for 30 years.

He knows the sport.

He knows talent.

He knows a phenom when he sees one.

So it didn’t take long for him to realize that Jarreau Walker was not the average incoming freshman.

He could tell almost immediately that Walker was something special.

In fact, Skonieczny was so sure of it that he had it pinpointed within the first night of open mats two years ago.

“He showed up in the room, and I had a 106-pound senior, who was ranked No. 1 in the state,” Skonieczny recalled. “Jarred handled his business and pretty much picked apart everyone in the room up to my 145-pound weight class.”

By the time the 2023-24 season started, Walker’s domination continued.

Tournament wins at Hudson, Champion, Top Gun, Bred ksville, as well as top-podium finishes at the Portage County Tournament, Metro Athletic Conference Tournament, along with individual titles at the sectional and district level.

If it seems unique for a freshman to find that kind of success so early, it is, but that is why it fits Walker so well.

He is unique.

There are very few, if any, weaknesses in his style.

He can score at all three positions, and he can also jump in and out of styles depending on what a match or opponent requires from him.

“On his feet, he has never given up a takedown in his high-school career,” Skonieczny said. “On top, he can score with multiple different moves. On bottom, he’s only been ridden maybe once in his career.

“If someone is going to watch him for the first time, it would be hard for them to find any weaknesses in his offense or his defense,” Skonieczny added. “They would be totally amazed on how solid he could be with the basic moves, then turn it up a notch and become extremely funky when he has to be.”

In addition to all of the technical ability, Walker wrestles with confidence in himself and his ability.

“He fears nobody,” Skonieczy said.

Walker said that his self-assuredness comes from a mindset of trusting his training and preparation.

And when it comes to training, there are few in the room who work harder than Walker.

“His work ethic is different than most,” Skonieczny said. “If he needs to be pushed, he goes live with the middleweights. If he needs the hard drilling, he will go with the lightweights. He will also take a couple evenings during the week to work out with friends to get some extra time on the mat.”

All of it stems from Walker’s love for the sport, which dates back to his days as a youth wrestler.

From early on, he wanted to be around wrestling all the time.

“I always liked it, but I think after I won the youth state tournament for the first time is when I really got hooked,” Walker said. “I just love hanging out with my friends doing the sport that I love.”

Walker won the Ohio Youth State Wrestling state championship twice — a tournament viewed by many respected in the sport to be one of the most challenging youth tournaments in the country.

The eyes of those same respected people in the sport now view Walker as one of the most talented young high-school wrestlers in the country.