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Positive Athlete

Maple Grove Graduate Trim Honored Statewide

2020 Maple Grove graduate Kyle Trim was honored by Positive Athlete as New York’s boys wrestling representative for the 2019-20 season. Photo by JAB Photography

According to its website, Positive Athlete “is a celebration of young athletes who have overcome difficult circumstances, given back to their schools and communities in a significant way, or just have an infectious positive attitude that makes everyone around them a better person.

That describes Kyle Trim to a T.

A 2020 Maple Grove Junior-Senior High School graduate, Trim was nominated as Positive Athlete by his football coach, Justin Hanft.

Out of more than 10,000 nominees, Trim was one of just a few dozen to earn the Positive Athlete award. Trim was New York state’s boys wrestling honoree.

“It’s nothing that you ever expect coming from a small town. I’ve always just wanted to help everybody around me and make sure they are the best they can be,” Kyle said. “It’s really nice to be recognized. I like helping people and the community around me. I will sacrifice for others. That’s just the type of person that I am.”

2020 Maple Grove graduate Kyle Trim was honored by Positive Athlete as New York’s boys wrestling representative for the 2019-20 season. Photo by JAB Photography

Trim was honored at the school during its winter sports awards banquet and due to COVID-19, Positive Athlete’s recognition came in the form of a YouTube video on the organization’s website over the summer.

“My dad always coached us growing up in tee-ball, Little League, midget football. He was always part of the prgoram helping out others around him,” Kyle said. “Watching him be like that really changed my outlook. I feel like I was raised the right way. I definitely contribute a lot of my success to him.”

One of six siblings, Kyle lived in the shadow of his older brother, Zak — a star linebacker on the Maple Grove football team.

“Kyle is more gentle (than Zak). … He’s always been that way,” said Diane Trim, Kyle’s mother. “When he started sports he was trying to help others and make them all better.”

When it was Kyle’s time to shine he did.

In addition to wrestling, Kyle Trim shined on the Maple Grove football team. P-J file photo

He was one of Hanft’s seniors when the Red Dragons converted to 8-man football late in the 2019 preseason.

Rather than dwell in the negativity of a storied program moving to the modified version of the sport, Trim chose to look at the positives.

“There were a couple of seniors, juniors and sophomores who really did not want to change to 8-man. It was hard on me too. It was my last season. … I basically said ‘man up and play.’ It wasn’t ideal. … I ended up loving 8-man because of my body style and the way that I played. I was a very physical player. I definitely had to convince a couple of kids. I told them, ‘there’s no reason to ruin it for everybody else by quitting in that situation. Stick it out and help me and the other seniors who worked their entire lives get their last hurrah.'”

He carried that positive attitude over to the wrestling mat where he was a team captain as a senior.

“Kyle’s a hard-working kid,” wrestling coach Mark Hetrick said. ” … A great kid and an over-achiever.”

In addition to wrestling, Kyle Trim shined on the Maple Grove football team. P-J file photo

He finished fourth in his weight class at the Section VI state qualifier his senior year — in a weight class that included Post-Journal Wrestler of the Year Dontae Hoose of Southwestern.

“He was really good in wrestling,” Diane said. “He would go to modified practices to help teach kids methods and stances.”

“There is no other competition like it — nothing that I’ve ever experienced. Everybody goes through the same thing, the running and training, and there is only so much glory,” Kyle said. ” … The amount of respect I have for other pepole who wrestle is insane. My partners, I know I pushed them, but they pushed me too.”

But more than his performance was the attitude and demeanor Trim with which Trim carried himself.

“We celebrate them with awards, corporately sponsored scholarships, unique opportunities, and CNN Sports tells their stories on a national media platform to inspire other athletes,” the Positive Athlete website states. “Over seven years, thousands of high school athletes have been nominated by coaches, parents, teachers, family members and fans — and over $350,000 in scholarships have been awarded.”

The Positive Athlete website lists seven definitions of a positive athlete:

¯ Optimistic Attitude: Most coaches will tell you that an athlete who believes positive things will happen has a greater chance for success;

¯ Servant Leader: Positive Athletes do not think about being the “stars of the team.” They lead through serving others first and by setting an example;

¯ Admits Imperfections: This is Positive Athlete … not Perfect Athlete. Athletes willing to admit they make mistakes gain the respect of teammates and fans;

¯ Puts Team First: There are times when personal achievement may hurt the team’s goal. Positive Athletes choose their team;

¯ Encouraging Teammate: In every sport, teammates are going to experience some kind of failure. Positive Athletes are the first to encourage them.;

¯ Heart for Others: Many athletes are blessed with gifts that many others are not. The Positive Athlete seeks to help the less gifted or fortunate;

¯ Always Gives 100%: Not every athletic competition goes as planned, but a Positive Athlete always gives 100% no matter what the scoreboard says.

“He and Jake Tomlinson were going to go 195 pounds and he lost 20-something pounds for Jake,” Hetrick said. “Kyle was like a mentor to the other kids. … Every coach loves to have a kid like Kyle on the team.”

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