Heights newcomer, two-time state wrestling champ commits to powerhouse Minnesota
By Rick Peterson
The Capital-Journal
Published Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Slowly but surely, Atticus Disney is starting to feel a sense of normalcy returning to his life.
The two-time state wrestling champion at Andover Central is getting used to Shawnee Heights, his new school, and now he knows where he's going to wrestle in college next season, having orally committing to defending NCAA national champion Minnesota.
Anthony S. Bush / The Capital-Journal
Atticus Disney, who transferred to Shawnee Heights from Andover Central for his senior year, orally committed to wrestle at Minnesota next season. A two-time Class 4A state wrestling champion, Disney has helped Heights' football team to a 2-1 start.
"I'm starting to get settled in now, but the first few weeks I was meeting new friends, learning my classes, the layout of the school,'' said Atticus Disney, who is also playing a key role for the T-Birds' 2-1 football team as a 6-foot-1, 250-pound lineman. "I had never seen the school before the first day and I had no idea where my classes were.
"I kept getting lost coming to school, but I'm starting to get settled in and everything's starting to click now. That's another reason why I committed early, to get one thing set to the side and have it set.''
Atticus Disney is a three-time state wrestling medalist and captured back-to-back Class 4A titles (215 pounds and 285) the past two years. Atticus Disney will wrestle at 285 this winter for Chad Parks' T-Birds and also will be a heavyweight in college.
Atticus Disney said picking Minnesota to continue his career was actually one of the easiest things he has done in a while.
"A local newspaper (in Minnesota) nicknamed them 'Heavyweight University,' and 14 out of the last 16 years they've had a heavyweight All-American,'' Atticus Disney said. "I figured they must be doing something right, and if they're recruiting me, obviously they see the chance for me to be something special.
"I didn't want to pass that up. I knew once I had the No. 1 college in the nation recruiting me, there was nowhere else I really wanted to go, so why wait? I wanted to let them know early so they didn't give up my scholarship.''
Atticus Disney's move to Topeka before his final year of high school was a little more complicated. But after looking at all their options, the family picked up and moved from the Wichita area after Barry Disney, Atticus' father, accepted a position as the state's assistant attorney general.
Barry Disney said he's been pleased with how his son has adjusted to the move.
"This is one of the benefits of sports,'' Barry Disney said. "I think that for a kid to be able to come in and play on a sports team has really eased the transition.
"The kids in his school have been tremendous in accepting him and I think, because of sports and because of the attitude of the kids, it's been pretty easy for him.''
Heights football coach Jason Swift and Parks both agreed that Atticus Disney is making a smooth transition.
"Atticus has a good personality that has helped him in his tough transition as a senior with the students and Shawnee Heights,'' Swift said. "He is well-liked as a person and is well-respected as an athlete.''
Parks agreed.
"Atticus is fitting in well at Heights," Parks said. "He is a football player and has quickly made friends with guys on the team. Most of the young men on our wrestling team play football and are already acquainted with Atticus.
"I know it's probably been hard transferring his senior year in high school, but I think everything is going well for Atticus.''
Swift also has been very pleased with Disney's on-field contribution for the T-Birds.
"Atticus is very smart and knowledgeable on the football field,'' Swift said. "He is a coachable player that has already done some amazing things on the field from both sides of the ball. His legs are so powerful and his space awareness lets him control the line of scrimmage.''
Parks will have to wait until November to get Disney in the wrestling room, but Disney gives Heights a solid chance to produce the 285-pound 5A state champion for the second straight season. Chris Holly won the title as a senior last season.
"Getting an athlete like Atticus as a move-in is a coach's dream,'' Parks said. "We lost a tremendous athlete in Chris Holly graduating last year, and Atticus fits right into that spot.
"When you have a wrestler with as much experience and success as Atticus, it will help everyone in the room get better.''