Sunday, February 5, 2023
  • Advertise
  • Submit Story Idea
  • Submit Event
  • Calendar
Arlington Today Magazine
  • Home
  • Categories
    • Arlington News
    • People
    • Community
    • Commentary
    • Business and Education
    • Featured
    • Wellness
    • Scene
    • Design and Interiors
    • Uncategorized
  • Digital Editions
  • Join the Newsletter
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Categories
    • Arlington News
    • People
    • Community
    • Commentary
    • Business and Education
    • Featured
    • Wellness
    • Scene
    • Design and Interiors
    • Uncategorized
  • Digital Editions
  • Join the Newsletter
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Arlington Today Magazine

The Big Payoff

Kenneth Perkins by Kenneth Perkins
November 2, 2017
in Community, People
0 0
0
The Big Payoff
0
SHARES
82
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Texas Appliance April 2020
Asia Ray in a familiar pose.

When Dan Provence speaks of Asia Ray, he does so with the sort of child-like exuberance reserved for high-wire circus performers able to pull off jaw-dropping, unexplainable feats. A healthy portion of his zeal is easily traced to the fact that Ray is a wrestler of extreme skill, so effective and efficient that her ability to escape holds and other offensive melee often leaves opponents disheartened, for sure, but also stuck in this rather odd state of opponent envy.
She’s Houdini on a mat, slick and slippery, aggressive and assertive, all the things that make a wrestler incredibly hard to contain and exceptionally difficult to pin down. Yet Provence, who coached Ray for four years at Arlington High School and in June watched with a mixture of glee and horror his star leave for Wayland Baptist University, talks far more about what makes Ray … well, Ray, which is something that, while he’d love to take the credit, is actually fiercely innate.
There are those who consider millennials to be a spoiled bunch of narcissists allergic to hard work since a work ethic is challenging to teach when everyone is getting trophies for merely showing up.
While growing up under similar generational circumstances surely creates some shared attribute, individuals are still individuals, and some arrive specifically wired.
Take Ray. Over the summer, she represented the U.S. National Team at the Junior World Championships in Finland, and brought home a Bronze Medal in the 97-pound division, first knocking off wrestlers from Turkey and Poland by pin before losing to the heavily-favored Yumei Chen of China in the semifinals.
Ray brushed off the loss and methodically took apart the 2017 Junior Pan-American champion from Canada to capture third. At AHS, Ray was practically unbeatable over her last three seasons – going 110-2; the two losses coming at the state meet during her junior year when she dislocated her collarbone and wrestled anyway.
“She literally competed with one arm,” gushes Provence, who finally had to pull her out, fearing permanent damage.
It’s just one of the reasons Provence considers Ray one of those once-in-a-lifetimes athletes coaches come across, and not merely because of the head-turning numbers of two undefeated seasons en route to convincing state championships.
Ray didn’t even know AHS had a women’s wrestling team until Provence, noting her petite frame while she was picking up her class schedule, asked if she’d ever consider wrestling.
“She’s a rare combination of I-have-the-ability-but-I-am-still-going-to-work-harder-than-you,” says Provence. “She tells herself, you might be better, but eventually I will get close and then beat you.”
Provence didn’t push Ray to work harder; it was a given that she was already doing that. “She really couldn’t give you more than what she was giving you,” says Provence. “Her throttle was like that all the time.”
To Wayland Wrestling Coach Aaron Meister, Ray has “the overall package” including “an incredible work ethic. It was a no-brainer to recruit her.”
To Ray, she’s just an up-and-comer with a mere four years of experience, trying to figure it all out. “Before high school I wasn’t all that competitive,” she says by cell phone shortly after finishing one of her classes. “I didn’t mind not being first. The more I learned wrestling, the more I enjoyed it and worked harder at it.”
Before hitting the mat at each level – high school, club, and nationals – Ray always wondered if she actually belonged.
Now a successful collegiate career is what drives her.
“Ever since I first had that feeling of getting your hand raised as a winner I want to have it again and again,” Ray says. “So I’ll just have to go out and work hard.”
As if she knows some other way.

Columnist Kenneth Perkins has been a contributing writer for Arlington Today since it debuted. He is a freelance writer, editor and photographer.

Related posts

February 2, 2023

February 2, 2023

Related Posts

  • From Arlington to the Amazon

    This UTA student is unconcerned with the naysayers. She's taking her anthropology degree and making…

  • Arlington On Tap

    Popular happy hour lecture series returns next month with an eclectic speaker assembly

  • All Stars 2016

    This month we celebrate Arlington's favorite local businesses from food, drinks and parks to service…

Tags: Arlington TodayWe Know ArlingtonWomans wrestling
Stephanie A. Foster

Follow Us

  • But first   coffee    The Arlington Dunkin    located at 5801 Office Park Dr  today announced it will help keep the community running with a happy hour celebration offer throughout the remainder of August  Every day beginning now through Monday  August 31  guests can power through the rest of the month and receive a FREE  Medium Hot or Iced Coffee with any purchase from 2-6 PM   On behalf of local Arlington Dunkin    franchisee  Hiren Patel  Dunkin    is proud to keep Arlington running throughout the month of August
  • Nothing soothes the soul like a trip to the Majestic Smoky Mountains  Read all about the Greene family   s    COVID-cation    and travel safety in the link in our bio
  • Read the latest message from UTA   s interim president  Teik C  Lim  by clicking the link in our bio
  • The City of Arlington announces Unity Council  Read all about this positive way for the city in the link in our bio
  • Here   s to the All Stars  Click the link in our bio to find the complete list of Arlington Today   s 2020 All Star businesses in over 160 categories
  • Put DFW Restaurant week on YOUR calendar  Support your favorite Arlington and local DFW restaurants this August 31-September 6 during restaurant week    For more info and participating restaurants  click the link in our bio
  • This Arlington radio station is making movie magic   Read all about Crystal Vasquez and her upcoming documentary about local radio station     The Ticket     by clicking the link in our bio
  • With the school year starting soon  it   s important to know what   s going on  Read all about AISD and MISD   s back to school plans in the link in our bio
  • August is for the All Stars        Click the link in our bio to read our latest edition of Arlington Today and check out your local All  Star businesses
  • 12 Mighty Orphans: There’s a fascinating ‘story behind the story’ regarding this fine film

    12 Mighty Orphans: There’s a fascinating ‘story behind the story’ regarding this fine film

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • March Scene

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The Visionary Who Didn’t Give Up

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Boot-scootin’ Boogie

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • In case of emergency: Mansfield Fire Department introduces the ‘Vial of Life’ initiative to keep residents on the ready

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Arlington Today Magazine

Arlington Texas Area News and Events Magazine

Follow us on social media:

Recent News

  • (no title)
  • (no title)
  • (no title)

Category

  • Arlington News
  • Business and Education
  • Commentary
  • Community
  • Design and Interiors
  • Featured
  • People
  • Scene
  • Sports
  • Uncategorized
  • Wellness

Recent News

February 3, 2023

February 3, 2023
  • Advertise
  • Submit Story Idea
  • Submit Event
  • Calendar

© 2022 Arlington Today - Designed by Advent Trinity Marketing Agency Web Design

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Categories
    • Arlington News
    • Community
    • People
    • Commentary
    • Business and Education
    • Featured
    • Wellness
    • Scene
    • Design and Interiors
  • Digital Editions
  • Join the Newsletter
  • Contact Us

© 2022 Arlington Today - Designed by Advent Trinity Marketing Agency Web Design

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add Arlington Today Magazine to your Homescreen!

Add