New Mexico's McMaster laughs, lives life to fullest

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Jason Bryant (USA Wrestling)
07/27/2001


Cerebral palsy is defined as a condition caused by damage to the brain, usually occurring before, during or shortly after birth, and is characterized by an inability to fully control motor function.    Don't tell J.C. McMaster that he can't function.  McMaster of Las Vegas, NM was one of 1,048 wrestlers in the Asics Tiger Junior Freestyle Nationals in Fargo, ND, suffers from cerebral palsy, or CP.    "I don't call it suffering at all, I just can't walk very well," said the recent graduate of Robertson High School.    Excuse me, J.C. McMaster has CP, but he doesn't suffer from it.    "Wrestling is the only sport I can do with my legs, but I like to go all out in everything I do, especially wrestling," said McMaster.    As a result of the CP, McMaster's legs are bowed inward and affects his walking.  He can't run, but his deliberate pace isn't a hindrance in his mind.  McMaster competed in the 114.5 pound weight class in Fargo in both freestyle and Greco, but failed to win a match.    "I didn't do to well out here, and I didn't do well during the high school season, but like I said, I go all out no matter what," said McMaster.    He started wrestling back in the seventh grade when his middle school coach back in Wisconsin asked him to come out for the team.    "I really didn't want to do it at first, but the more I thought about it, I figured what the heck," said McMaster of his first brush with the sport.    "I was basically was afraid of not being any good, it wasn't because of my legs.  I just don't like not being good at stuff," said McMaster.    McMaster realizes that when his opponents step on the mat with him, they'll shoot right away at his legs.  McMaster looks at it differently.    "Usually I can tell when a kid is going to shoot for my legs, it's when he gets a look at my chest!  Most of the time, it's the coach that goes 'go for the legs,'" said McMaster.    McMaster still wants to stay active in the sport, working out with his high school club after graduation and he'll continue to do so while attending Luna Community College in his hometown.    "Wrestling is the only sport I can do, but that doesn't mean I do it just to do it.  I work just as hard as anyone else to train, and while that's limited, its still takes all I have," said McMaster.    At the New Mexico State games, McMaster's friend Jesse Valdez got a first.  In the years the two had known each other, Valdez had never seen McMaster win a match.    "It meant a lot to actually win some matches in front of him.  We've been friends a long time and to win one there was big for me," said McMaster.   Despite not having the ability to walk as well as other people, he's still as talkative as anyone and he has a very simple philosophy on life.    "I live life to the fullest.  I want to show other people that I can do anything I want to do.  Never underestimate anyone, no matter their appearance," said McMaster.    Level headed and flowing with personality, McMaster plans to go into a career with electronics, and would like to work for Intel, which has a plant not too far from McMaster's home.    "I'd like to think of myself as not having a disability, I'm just me," said McMaster.