James Medeiros is Taking the Los Angeles City Section A Level Up

How did you first get involved in the sport of wrestling?

My dad got me started at 8 years old. He was a very good wrestler, so I was always going to wrestle. It was a slow process of getting beat up for years. Around sixth grade when I started middle school at Edna Hill in Brentwood, I really started to get a grasp on my balance and body strength.

Who was your biggest influence in the sport?

My dad was by far my biggest influence in wrestling. When I was in eighth grade, I moved to Fremont to live with my dad and things changed for me. His passion and drive for the sport rubbed off on me. He had me drilling moves in the garage every morning. That’s when I went from part time wrestler to serious competitor.

What life lessons have you learned in the sport of wrestling that applies in your day-to-day life?

I use just about all the things I got from wrestling every day. Goal setting, determination, relentless work ethic, and the drive to be the best in everything I do. In theater of film, I look at auditioning like a tournament. Mental preparation, focus, physical and spiritual awareness all come into play. When I’m writing I use the same kinds of preparation and consistency that I do when I’m drilling my moves

When did you begin your Coaching tenure at Birmingham Charter High School in the Los Angeles City Section?

For the 2010/2011 season, I started at Birmingham as an assistant coach and then was made the head coach the following season.

What was attractive about the opportunity to take on the Head Coaching position at Birmingham Charter?

I was in Los Angeles to work on my film career as an actor/director. It had been over three years since I stepped on the mat.

One of my Fresno state teammates, Sam Fragoza, moved in with me so he could work on music. We got to talking about wrestling and we both wanted a place to roll around and help some high school kids. We were in North Hollywood at the time.

Sam called a handful of nearby schools, and none of them had a team. Birmingham was the first school we reached out to that had a team. We talked to the head coach, Tony Born. He told us we could coach the team and it sounded like fun. Both of us alternated the days we went. It was so much harder than we ever thought it would be.

Even though we were both very experienced wrestlers, it was hard to teach kids from scratch how to wrestle. The next year, Sam left LA to go back home, and I became the head coach.

I always wanted to build a team that was a real team. I wanted one that won duals and where the team was more important than one kid. At American High School, we had five great wrestlers at most, and were always individuals. I’ve taken bits from all the coaches I’ve had, and ideals from programs that I’ve been a part of to use in my coaching. I have created my own system that has been working really well, but I am always trying to evolve as the sport evolves.

What do you enjoy most about coaching?

Relationships that we build for life. I enjoy watching these kids go off to college and turn into adults. I enjoy changing lives for the better. When I see kids turn around their academics and go wrestle in college, it makes me feel that all the time and effort I put in is well worth it. We are just starting to have the first few kids that I coached graduate from college. The bonds we make and the time we shared last forever. My favorite thing on the mat is when a kid finally decides to trust me on the mat and have faith. When they succeed and reach their goals it is sublime. 

What are your long-term goals for the Birmingham Charter program?

One of my major goals for our school is to build a program that is not only one of the best in the state but one that is constantly sending kids to college. For our school to be an opportunity for them to wrestle and continue their educations at the next level.

It’s my understanding that you run a freestyle/Greco-Roman wrestling club at Birmingham. Please provide some insight to the program, its history, and the impact it has had on wrestling at Birmingham and in the Los Angeles City Section.

I have been running a club that focuses on freestyle and Greco two nights a week almost year-round since 2010. I knew right away that the only way I can get these kids to catch up in four years is to put in double time in the off season. We go everywhere: all the state meets, the US Open, UWW tournaments, Fargo.

I think the city has stepped up tremendously since I have gotten here. I’d like to think I have something to do with it, but there are a lot of people putting in the time to get better and that’s what it takes.

It’s my opinion that the LA City area is a goldmine for talent and has the potential to be among the top areas in the state. The recent Jr. National title earned by Birmingham Sr. Jonovan Smith is just one example.

I agree whole heartedly. This is one of the few places where you can take a kid like Jonovan and get him to a place where he is one of the best kids in the country. I think there will many more to follow his path. 

What advice would you give a young wrestler wanting to be successful in the sport?

Don’t let anyone or anything stop you from reaching your goals in this life. If there is a will, there is a way. Go to the toughest tournaments, train with different people. When things get tough, hard work will always win. If money is an issue, then get out there and raise some. You have to do what it takes and you have to give it your all when no one is watching. One of the biggest things I do for my kids is give them all the opportunity to be good. They have to decide to take the opportunity and seize the day.

Outside the sport of wrestling, what other goals do you have in life?

My number one goal is to live my best life. I made a choice a while ago: quality of life over anything else. I do things that I love and enjoy. If I don’t have passion for it, I won’t do it. I want to continue to produce theater and film. I’d like to create my own studio for film making. I want to continue wrestling myself until my last day because I love doing it so much. I don’t know why I thought I had to stop, but we don’t. 

It’s my understanding that you are active in theater?

I have produced a bunch of full length plays that I have written. Some short films/web series, and films. There was a funny web series I created, called “Roommates: A Bro-mance”, and recently a series of short films about puppet racism, called “A Puppet Life” and “A Puppet Life 2: Human Dating”, which are now streaming on Amazon. I’ve also been in a feature called “Hollywood Road Trip” a while ago. I enjoy the creative side of myself and I am constantly trying to push myself in that realm.

Story by SportStars INSIDER, Al Fontes. Follow Al at thecaliforniawrestler.com

Jonovan Smith is the first Birmingham wrestler to reach the CIF State finals

Coach Medeiros and his Dad with Birmingham wrestlers

James Medeiros among his fellow CIF State Champions – 1999

The result of many long hours of hard work and sacrifice

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