The first Tuesday of each month, we interview someone from Charlotte Latin Athletics with twenty questions to help the CLS community get to know some of our athletes, coaches, and supporters a bit better.
 
This month, meet dual-sport sophomore Ethan Turner. New to Latin last year, Ethan quickly found new friends in the football program, made an immediate impact on the wrestling team, and made it all the way to the state championship final in the heavyweight division. In his second year with the Hawks, he's found new confidence as he grows into a leader on the field and on the mat. Preparing for the football state playoff game this Friday and looking forward to another winter season with the Mat Hawks, read on to get to know a bit about Ethan.
 
1. Have you always lived in Charlotte?  
No, I was born in Maryland and lived there through elementary school. We moved here before I started middle school at Marvin Ridge.
 
2. Tell us about your family.
My mom, Heather, is Jamaican and both of her parents are. My dad, Bob, is half Cuban. Mom teaches lawyers at Hogan Lovells (Cadwalader), and Dad is a retired police officer who now works security part time at the court house. We enjoy spending time together.
 
3. Do you have any siblings?
I don't have any siblings, but we have two dogs: Kasey and Duke. Kasey is twelve and Duke is five. They're both rescue dogs. I enjoy roughhousing with Duke, but my parents get mad at me for getting him riled up.
 
4. Did you ever wish for a brother or sister?
When I was younger, I wanted a little bother. I'm happy to be an only child now, though. My parents spoil me and it's nice.
 
5. How did you find your way to Latin?  
I was playing in a football All Star game and Coach Dayton was one of the coaches. Me and my dad were just talking to him about football and where he coaches. We didn't really know about Latin before, so we looked it up and saw how strong the academics are and what a great wrestling program it has, so we got interested and decided to come for a tour.
 
6. How was the transition to a new school, starting high school, and learning your way in a new football program?  
At first, I was a little nervous. I had a day with an ambassador and was paired with Isaiah (Galloway), so he showed me around and I met his friends. I was shy because I hadn't experienced a private school before and I was worried what people might think. But then I started going to summer football practices, getting out of my shell and talking to people. By the time school started, the football guys had introduced me to the wrestling guys, so I'd met a lot of people and made a lot of new friends. The academic transition went okay. The school work was a little harder and there was more homework, but I adjusted and got used to it.
 
7. It sounds like you made friends quickly on the football team, but was it tough to pick up new terminology and game plans?
My first practice, I was supposed to be with the JV players but I didn't know where to go so I ended up with the varsity guys. I kept having to ask people where to go. There was more diversity to practice than I had previously experienced, which I liked, and I think I adapted pretty quickly. I'm a lot more confident now, in my second year of football here. I got voted JV team captain with Q (Luqmaan). Knowing that peers saw me as a leader even though I'm pretty new made me really appreciate my teammates and allowed me to loosen up, celebrate with teammates, and enjoy the experience.
 
8. What classes or teachers have made an impact on you so far?
I really enjoyed Speech and Debate. That class made me more comfortable speaking in front of people and it was just a good class of friends who were really encouraging. Mr. Ivey was really helpful last year in history. I liked his teaching style and he would always help me when I was struggling. I find history difficult because there is so much reading and memorization. It's not my favorite subject. I'm taking sports medicine this year with Ms. Spero. She's a good teacher and the class is more interactive than most, so it's fun.
 
9. How has your sports journey evolved from the first organized activity you remember doing to now?
When I was maybe five-ish, I played soccer and I was an attacker. I played Pee Wee football in Maryland for the Blue Knights. I think we won some national game in Pennsylvania? I first started wrestling when I was about eight years old. Initially, it was just fun and games. As I grew up and kept wrestling, all the better people would take me down and I would tear up a little bit. My dad wrestled in high school and was pretty good, I think. He was second in the state as senior. So, he taught me some moves and helped me learn the right mind frame for competing in tough matches.
 
10. You made the starting lineup in wrestling as a freshman. What was it like to be a starter in a new program with so much history?   
I was excited and nervous. People like Banks (Cutter), Na'il (Diggs), Dash (Edwards), and Spear (Gorelick) all helped me get a better feel for wrestling here. We had to memorize the quote on the wall in the wrestling room, and then there was the Winter Sports Showcase, which was a really unique experience. We got to pick out our own walk-out songs, which was fun. I really liked the culture and traditions. And the travel. I love the travel because we got to spend so much time with our friends. I've become really good friends with Dash Edwards, and now we hang out a lot outside of school and sports.
 
11. You made it to the state championship final in the heavyweight division as a freshman. How did you feel about that match?
I was pretty nervous. The guy I was going against was 280 pounds and committed to ECU, so it was a little intimidating. The score was close and I almost got him, but in the end, he got the best of me.
 
12. How do you manage nerves and crowd noise when you're wrestling? What's going through your mind?  
Whether or not I get nervous depends on the match and the opponent. When I'm feeling anxious about a match, I do all my prep carefully, then put on hype music, listen to my own thoughts and get into my own bubble. At tournaments, I'll watch my next opponent to see what their go-to move is and how to counter it. During the match, I'm just thinking about all of the moves I've been practicing and looking at my opponent's position to see if I can get a single. I'm able to drown out the crowd noise and just hear my amazing coaches.
 
13. What has been your favorite sports moment at Latin so far?   
Probably just traveling with my teammates on the buses and getting to bond with everyone, both for football and wrestling. We travel a lot and those trips are always fun. Also, winning states (as a team) in wrestling was definitely one of my favorite moments.
 
14. Alright, let's finish with some fun questions. Beach or mountains?
Definitely the beach. I like swimming in the ocean, hanging out with friends and family, and I think the scenery is better.
 
15. Do you cook? If so, what is your specialty?
I'm not much of a cook, but I can make a pretty good grilled cheese. Dad is the primary cook in our family and he makes really good meals for me. They're hearty, protein rich foods. My grandma also makes really good meals. I love Jamaican food.
 
16. What has been your favorite vacation so far?
My favorite vacation was Jamaica. Most of my family is from Jamaica, so it was special getting to spend time there. I also loved the resorts and getting to experience somewhere new with my family.
 
17. What is your favorite sports movie?
The Blind Side. It's one of my favorite movies ever. I really like the plot and the story behind it.
 
18. What's your favorite sport to watch on TV?
Definitely football, both college football and the NFL. I find it really interesting, and I like watching the offensive and defensive linemen to see what I can learn and use to improve my own game.
 
19. If you could have a real-life ability that you don't already possess, what would it be and why?
I would want to be fluent in multiple languages because it would be cool to communicate with people from all around the world.
 
20.  In a dream scenario, where is 40-year-old Ethan living and what does his life look like?
Hopefully, I'm living somewhere nice, have a successful career, and have a family. I'd like to be financially comfortable, still be involved in sports, and be able to travel and spend time with the people closest to me.