Feature: Limitless Luis

We’ve all seen it: Cases of kids groomed to be serious athletes from the age of five. Luis Ramos is decidedly not one of those kids, but at the rate he’s progressing, he may as well be.

The 141-pound freshman has helped the wrestling team to its first Ivy League winning season since 1987. Ramos took up wrestling in his freshman year of high school and placed in the North Carolina state championship all four years, improving from fifth place to first over the course of his high school career.

As Princeton (9-9-0 overall, 3-1-0 Ivy League) heads into its last two regular-season matches, Ramos has developed into a force to be reckoned with.

Though Ramos also played soccer in high school, his experience with tae kwon do and his love for contact sports led him to try wrestling on a whim.

As head coach Chris Ayres explained, Ramos is certainly not lacking in natural talent.

“Wrestling’s a tough sport,” Ayres said. “It doesn’t involve anything that’s real natural, like running. It’s a little unorthodox, and it usually takes a long time for people to pick up. The other kids have been wrestling since second grade, and Luis comes in and gets so good so fast. We figured, ‘The sky’s the limit for this guy.’ He’s had such an incredible amount of improvement, there’s really no ceiling to how good he can be.”

On Saturday, Ramos made a dominant statement in Princeton’s match against Columbia, helping the Tigers solidify a 28-13 victory with a pin in just 36 seconds.

Ramos attributed his strong motivation to his teammate, 133-pound freshman Zach Bintliff, as well as to provocation on the part of the Lions.

“Zach Bintliff had gotten a pin, and it amped me up. I went on next because I’m in the next weight class,” Ramos said. “Also, I know the Columbia guys were talking some trash about us, so I was just there to get the job done.”

According to his coach, Ramos has a unique and highly effective way of getting the job done.

“He’s great at scrambling: When things get [tough] in a match, he’s like a cat. He’ll figure out a way to score a takedown or a reversal,” Ayres said. “His kinetic ability and his awareness of what’s going on are great assets.”

In addition to being composed and sharp-witted in competition, Ramos is resourceful, relying on an arsenal of moves picked up in practice. Senior 165-pound captain Mike Alvarez attested to Ramos’ natural ability to incorporate fresh material into his matches.

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“As a freshman, the learning curve is very steep, and often it takes a while to use the new moves you’re learning in practice,” Alvarez said. “A lot of freshmen tend to stick with what they learned in high school because they’re comfortable with it, but Luis is really good about taking the stuff he learns and applying it in his matches.”

While wrestling can be a somewhat individualistic sport, much like running, Ramos cited team support and upperclassman leadership as great aids in training.

“Luis has got a great work ethic, and he always comes in with a great attitude,” Ayres said. “He brings that to every workout. He’s just a good kid all around, and he’s a funny kid, too. He makes the team laugh.”

As Alvarez explained, Ramos is also known on the team for his nonchalance regarding clothing choice.

“He loves Crocs — those shoes that are hideous. He wears them all the time,” Alvarez said. “We were on a road trip up to Pittsburgh, and he’s wearing long johns tucked into his socks, an inside-out sweatshirt, a big winter hat and fur-covered Crocs. We were about to make a rest stop and we figured he’d change, but he doesn’t, and he’s completely not embarrassed.”

“We made fun of him relentlessly for that,” Alvarez added.

Don’t be misled by the anecdote, though.

Ramos takes wrestling seriously, and the team is intensely competitive.

“The captains have really helped us change our mentality,” Ramos said. “Our pre-match chant is ‘war.’ We go out there thinking it’ll be seven minutes of hell. It’s the most exhausting seven minutes of your life. You’re tired, and it sucks, but you’re going to be out there for that long anyway so you might as well go at it.”

“The aim is to test your mental boundaries — that’s the main reason I wrestle,” Ramos explained. “I push myself to the point where I want to quit, but then I know that I can overcome anything. I don’t know where else I can get that sense of satisfaction.”