- February 17th, 2007, 12:39 am
#61342
Just read up on this guy down in Chesapeake on HamptonRoads.com. It's too bad he already committed to ODU (well, verbally) because he seems like a good fit for LU and LU might be a good fit for him. Maybe Castro can do some good spin work, although the former coach connection to ODU would be a pretty strong tie to overcome.
http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.c ... &ran=38839
http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.c ... &ran=38839
Near-death experience transforms wrestler
By KYLE TUCKER , The Virginian-Pilot
© February 16, 2007
Scott Cust is menacing.
His chiseled physique - roughly 189 pounds of mostly muscle - is accentuated by an intimidating tattoo that stretches across his back, between his shoulder blades. His stare is cold and piercing. His wrestling style is one of tactical precision and devastating strength.
Scott Cust is surprising.
Just before Thursday's practice, the last one before today's Eastern Region tournament begins, Cust was polishing off his latest creation: a wedding cake with buttermilk icing.
"One of my friends needed a cake for a baby shower," said Cust, a Great Bridge High School senior, "so I tried it, and it turned out well. Now I make cakes. I want to be a chef, have my own restaurant. But what I really want to do is have a cooking show, with a Christian twist. I'll have a worship team playing the music, and I'll be sharing the word of God while I cook."
Scott Cust could be in jail.
He used to live like he looks - hard core. Two years ago, he was arrested for attempting to distribute marijuana. He was socially, sexually and generally reckless.
"I was smoking, drinking and having sex all the time," Cust said. "I guess that's stuff that's normal to people that don't really care. But once you have a God experience, it matters."
Scott Cust could be dead.
One night in September 2005, he was driving too fast. He tried to pass another car at 65 mph around a 90-degree turn. His car flew over a ditch and straight into a tree.
Cust's head hit the windshield, his knee hit the dashboard and his wrist crashed into the radio. And he opened his car door and walked away.
"In the ambulance, the guy looked at me and said, 'How did your neck not snap?' " Cust remembers. "My friends said, 'Oh, it's because you have a big neck.' But that didn't sound right. Some said, 'Oh, you're a wrestler, you're tough.' That didn't sound right, either. Then a guy at my church said, 'Man, that's a God thing.' And that just sounded like the right answer.
"God kept me alive for a reason, so I figured I should find out what it was."
Scott Cust loves the Lord.
After the accident, he committed himself to God and surrounded himself by like-minded members of his church, Faith Alive Ministries in Chesapeake. He started attending a Monday Bible study, Thursday meetings for young adults, Wednesday night services and two Sunday sessions of worship.
He stopped drinking, smoking and sleeping around. He distanced himself from friends who pressured him into that behavior.
"Since giving myself to God, everything has gotten better," Cust said. "My social life, my schoolwork, my wrestling. Girls tell me they like me better when I'm high on life. My mom is proud to tell people about me now. And when I wrestle, I don't worry about whether I'll win or not.
"I just know that I've done everything to prepare and that God's on my side. It calms me."
Scott Cust is a great high school wrestler.
He was a good one before overhauling his life. He won a Southeastern District title as a freshman. He was state runner-up as a sophomore. But in the two years since making the change, Cust has been nearly unbeatable.
He's 79-7 in the past two seasons, with every one of his losses coming against nationally ranked wrestlers. No one in Virginia has offered much resistance. Last year, Cust rolled to his first state title. This year, he's a heavy favorite to get a second. He's ranked among the top 10 wrestlers in the country at his weight.
Maybe it's the prayer he says before every match now. Or maybe the discipline it took to turn his life around carried over to the mat.
"When he became so dedicated to his church, that's also the time he really became dedicated to the sport," Great Bridge coach Norman Smith said. "He cared about the little things, the ins and outs of technique, the value of the weight room. There's a big difference in the two people: the kid he was and the man he's become. He was suddenly very easy to coach."
Scott Cust is staying home.
With interest from schools such as North Carolina and Virginia Tech, Cust gave his verbal commitment to Old Dominion coach Steve Martin two weeks ago. Martin was still Great Bridge's coach when Cust was a freshman and now appears to be building a nationally competitive college program.
"I was praying and praying about college," Cust said. "And God provided for me, big-time. Steve's got a great program going over there, which allows me to stay close to my church and my family. It's the perfect situation."
Scott Cust knows he's different.
Some of his old friends and teammates hassle him about the changes he has made. They still invite him to parties. He responds with an invitation to church. He doesn't mind standing out.
"I guess it's kind of rare, considering wrestlers are sort of a different breed," Cust said. "But I'm proud of it. I guess you could say I'm wrestling for God. And baking cakes."
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