Balancing your time between three clubs seems impossible to most students. However, the multifaceted Ridge Lindley does whatever it takes to excel with his hobbies. From captain on the wrestling team to a bass on Fremont acapella choir, we can all learn a thing or two from this all star.
Like most dedicated athletes Ridge’s, passion started within his youth after his father introduced him to football and wrestling, he became enthralled with sports. That started his impressive journey of ten years. However, Lindley’s dedication was not limited to just the turf, and the mat. Afterall, why stop at one hobby when you can excel at three?
As not only the captain of the boys wrestling team but #2 in the state of Utah, Ridge Lindley is an experienced grappler and uses wrestling as a method to enhance his performance as a defensive lineman on the football team. A key lesson he learned is that wrestling isn’t only a physical sport, but a mental game- you need to learn to be resilient and confident in your actions to succeed.
Compared with football and wrestling, choir seems to be an natural antithesis, but in reality it’s highly beneficial for an individual like Lindley to join this activity. For starters, choir (especially acapella choir) requires a massive amount of teamwork and trust. In Fremont’s acapella choir he plays the key role of a bass, who lays the foundation of the music being sung. By adding the necessary depth to the performance bass singers allow a piece not only to be heard, but to be felt.
Noah Smith, a senior, reflected saying, “ [My fondest memory of Ridge] was in choir, he doesn’t talk much, but when he does he’s funny- he doesn’t hold back anything. I don’t think he understands how much he just impacts people’s lives just by being there and smiling.”
This senior certainly has his work cut out for him with choir, wrestling and football leaving him with only four hours a day on average for downtime and homework. From first impressions, most people may be initially intimidated by this pitch-perfect pinner, nonetheless Ridge is an emotionally intelligent young man who immediately makes you feel heard and understood. You don’t meet people like this every day there’s no such thing as a one trick pony in his eyes. “I’ve always thought to do things as much or as best as you can, because if not, you’re just wasting your time.”
A friend, Dylan Harper, a senior, commented that originally he thought Lindley was ahead of his years but was very supportive and generous. “He’s always there for me no matter what and I really appreciate that… I just want to be like Ridge.”
In the future, Ridge Lindley mainly wants to “stick with the sports side” and wishes to find a career in sports medicine. This spark ignited when he took a class in his junior year and enjoyed learning about the different aspects of the field. It’s safe to say that his grit, determination and passion will allow this young man to be successful in any path he chooses to follow.
It’s often easy to get bogged down in life, but in Lindley’s words, “ There’s always going to be another day you’ll have the chance to start something new.”
