They come from families with rich wrestling backgrounds and will be competing in Paris at the Summer Olympics, so it stands to reason that Adam Coon of Fowlerville and Myles Amine of Brighton had instant success in the sport.
In reality, it took both wrestlers some time to find their stride.
Coon came home with medals in the early stages of his career, only to have it pointed out it was because there were so few wrestlers in his weight class.
He eventually found his stride and became a four-time state champion at Fowlerville.
Amine started wrestling in elementary school, but didn’t take it seriously until just before high school.
Amine is now heading to his second Olympics, the first athlete from Livingston County to qualify for two.
Coon’s father, Dan, was a state champion at Fowlerville and the school’s long-time coach. Coon can’t remember a time he wasn’t around the sport.
“The nice part about my dad being a coach for the high school, as well as the youth team, was getting dragged into the room when I couldn’t even walk,” Coon said. “I was still on the wrestling mat hanging out with other dads’ kids. I grew up on the mats. I’ve kind of been my life these last 29 years.”