Lessons learned in the gym and weight room during the COVID-19 pandemic are paying dividends on the mat for Heritage Woods Secondary School wrestler Markus Lee.
The global health crisis was in its second wind when Lee found his way to the school’s combat room as a freshman, and all the wrestling team members could do was lift weights and go for runs to build their fitness for matches that might never occur.
Now a senior, Lee is undefeated for the season headed to the BC Secondary School Wrestling Championships, to be held at the PNE Forum Feb. 21-22. He’s already won the 2024 War on the Floor Elite and 2025 Age Class tournaments in the 60 kg weight category, beating some of the toughest high school wrestlers in Western Canada.
On Feb. 1, Lee captured gold in the 63 kg class at the Alberni Invitational Wrestling Tournament and he also recently won the Fraser North zone wrestling title for the third time in his high school career.
It’s been a steady progression, as Lee said he knew nothing about wrestling when he first started the sport.
A soccer player and judo athlete, Lee said he was looking for something to stay active at a time when most competitive sports were shut down because of public health concerns. But the school’s wrestling team was still working out.
Lee said his judo experience made the transition to a grappling sport easier as he was able to apply his skills with throws and takedowns on the wrestling mat.
“It’s easy to catch people off-guard.”
The rigorous fitness regimen also worked muscles Lee hadn’t much employed on the soccer pitch or judo mat.
When the health crisis eased and wrestlers were actually able to compete again, Lee won his first match, although the details are hazy. He said the challenge wasn’t as great as he’d feared, though, as his opponent was equally inexperienced.
“Everyone was pretty new to it,” Lee said. “We all grew together.”
Lee’s coach at Heritage Woods, Rick Dove, said he sensed he had something special in his young charge even in that uncertain COVID season.
“You can see which kids are athletic, their wrestling moves come to them quickly,” Dove said, adding Lee possessed a natural toughness and he was also always asking questions about how he could improve or correct mistakes.
Lee said getting through the challenges of learning a new sport during a global pandemic gave him a kind of inner resolve.
“If you can get through wrestling, you can get through anything,” he said. “It’s like a lifestyle.”
Lee said the momentum of this season puts him in a good position to improve on the second place he earned at the 2024 provincials. He’s also built up his repertoire of moves while also training and competing at the Coast Wrestling Academy in Burnaby that’s produced champions like Coquitlam’s Ana Godinez Gonzalez.
“I’ve got a bunch of tools in my toolbox,” Lee said. “This is the year I’ve been working towards. I believe in myself.”
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