From the Southgate (Michigan) News Herald
Gentle giant
Melvindale’s quiet Tim Lee is a force on the mat and on the football field
By Joe Slezak, The News-Herald
PUBLISHED: January 5, 2005
All Tim Lee wants for his junior wrestling season at Melvindale is to improve by one step over last winter. That’s all ” just one step.
If he takes that step, he’ll be a state champion.
As a sophomore, he reached the Division 3 state final at 275 pounds, only to lose to three-time state champion Cosell Beavers of Dundee, 5-2.
Not bad for a young man who took up wrestling as a ninth-grader.
From the time the referee raised Beavers’ arm in victory, Lee has been working toward taking that next step.
“I think about it a lot, “Lee said. “From the first match, it drives me ” got to take first next year.”
His coach, Jim Berry, also believes in that dream.
“As athletic and as good as he is, everything has to fall into place, “Berry said. “It’s quite a task to get that honor.”
At the same time, Lee’s drive has impressed his coach.
“His tremendous will to win is one (asset), “Berry said. “His athletic ability is unbelievable. He’s as quick as a lightweight and he doesn’t accept defeat.”
Lee said he learned from that loss to Beavers and another that he suffered to the then-senior in a regional final, 7-5. The lesson was to stay calm and not rush into things. One of Beavers’ many strengths was the ability to sense a weakness, however fleeting, and pounce on it.
“Cosell didn’t make any mistakes, “Berry said. “He didn’t give Tim the opportunity to score, except for two escapes. He refused to be denied.
“Tim generally finds a mistake, and he couldn’t take advantage of anything.”
One of Lee’s strengths is his height. At 6 feet 1 inches tall, he’s just a little shorter than many other 275-pounders, which gives him a lower center of gravity. That allows him to attack the middle to lower parts of his opponents’ bodies.
He also is tremendously strong. He’s able to bench press more than 350 pounds and squat more than 500.
And, “He’s quick ” he’s very quick, “Berry said.
Berry has been coaching wrestling for 32 years, including as Melvindale’s head coach since 1990, and he said he’s never had someone progress faster than Lee.
Lee played junior varsity football as a freshman and one of his coaches, Ellis Slaughter, encouraged him ” threatened him almost, Lee recalls ” to try out for wrestling.
“My football coach told me, ‘You better get in wrestling or I’ll beat you up,’ “Lee said with a chuckle.
At first, he wasn’t happy.
“It went real quick, “Lee said. “I didn’t think I was going to stay on the team. I don’t like losing.”
But he was able to turn that around and finish with 25 wins, qualifying for an individual regional along the way.
That set the stage for last season, in which Lee went 41-4. Two of the losses were to Beavers; two were to Dearborn’s John Vargas, whom he pinned last week in the final of Salem’s tournament. So far this winter, Lee is 19-0 with 18 pins and one major decision. He has 85 career wins.
Lee’s rapid ascension amazes Berry, who has coached five state finalists, including one champion.
“I would have never dreamt that would have happened, “Berry said. “I’ve seen it happen, but it’s a rarity.
“You don’t hear that very often. Tim is one of those exceptions.”
Lee’s progress has earned him a ticket to a junior national meet in late March in Cleveland. Berry also said that Lee is ranked No. 21 in the nation among prep heavyweights by USA Wrestling.
For all his success, Lee isn’t one to brag. He’d rather let his actions do his talking, especially in the wrestling room ” though two other Cardinal heavyweights have been accidentally injured this season while training against him.
“If you can wrestle with Tim Lee in the room, you can wrestle with anyone in the state, “Berry said.
“Tim’s an excellent team leader. He’s quiet. He’s well natured. The kids enjoy being around him.”
Lee also has emerged as a leader on the football field as a two-time all-Michigan Mega Conference Gold Division selection who starts at offensive guard and defensive tackle.
He wasn’t eligible for the varsity as a freshman because he’s a schools-of- choice student from southwest Detroit who didn’t change addresses when he enrolled at Melvindale. Had he been eligible, head football Coach Phil Howard said Lee would have been on the varsity.
Lee was quiet as a sophomore, Howard said, but became more of a vocal leader as a junior.
“He began to come out of his shell more, “Howard said. “He puts some kids in place if they’re slacking off.
“He’s a physical specimen. He’s one of those kids who’s just gifted ” phenomenal strength and agility for a kid his size. You don’t see it that often.”
Howard said that Lee is a very instinctive player who uses his hands very well, which is very important for a defensive lineman. He also uses his hips more because of wrestling.
Lee said that wrestling helps him on the football field because he knows he has to stay low. Football has helped him become more aggressive on the wrestling mat, he said.
“Wrestling’s a tough sport, “said Howard, who added that Lee has been helped by having very supportive parents. “You’ve got to have self-discipline and self-motivation. As a lineman, it’s the same thing ” me vs. you. He brings that mentality to the football field.”
Lee also competed in the shot put and discus for the track team as a freshman, but didn’t go out as a sophomore.
Howard said Lee is good enough to start for any of the Mega’s elite football teams, like Allen Park, Monroe or Dearborn Fordson, though they’re in the Red Division, which is three steps above the Gold.
“He’s the best athlete that I’ve ever coached, “Berry said. “Technique-wise, we’ve still got a ways to go. He’s still a young wrestler.
“I have no idea how far that he could go. He’d be worthy for a college to pick up.”
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