Zachri and his father-coach, Chad, pose for a special photo during Zachri's signing to wrestle at Limestone College.
Zachri is all smiles after signing his grant-in-aid to wrestle at Limestone College. Left to right are brothers Taz, Bear, Daniel and his mother, Loan. Chad Nelson is in the back.
Zachri, expected to redshirt his first season, wrestled at the 145-pound division last year. His 6-foot-2 build is tall for a wrestler but Zachri said he learned to use it to his advantage. “If you know how to use leverage it can work in your favor,” he said. “I know the taller I am the more I have to defend.”
He compiled a 152-43 record at Greer and never had to cut more than 5 to 8 pounds to make weight during his career. “If you can keep your weight in check and not get flabby during the off season, it isn’t that hard,” Zachri said.
Zachri won the region championship each year since ninth grade except for his runnerup in the 2010 season.
“To see him at the level he’s at, he’s done a good job,” Chad said of Zachri. “He’s going to do well in college.”
Zachri wants to study to enter the criminal justice system in the FBI or intelligence field.
Father and son had reason to doubt this moment would have come several years ago. “There were times when my dad would be speaking to me and I thought he was yelling at me. I later realized he was coaching me,” Zachri said. Chad concurred. “We struggled with our roles as father and coach and son and wrestler. One day it clicked. I think he thought he was making me happy wrestling.”
“My lowest point was when dad was pushing me … I thought. He wasn’t doing it as a dad, but as a coach,” Zachri said.
“I don’t think Zachri wanted to wrestle at first,” Chad said. “He associated wrestling as dad being gone early in life,” Che prevailing theory is that Zachri will mature more rapidly after he leaves for college.
There was an amusing exchange at the signing, typical of a father and son. Zachri was asked if he was able to beat his dad in a match. “It took me a while but I beat him once this year. When we wrestle I can usually get him as the match goes on and he gets tired. I used a cross face cradle on him when I beat him but I didn’t hurt him badly,” Zachri said with a wide smile. Hearing Zachri, Chad interjected, “He has never beaten me.”