Timeout with ... Nathan Proffit, Snohomish wrestling

How was your 2011?
It was awesome. Really fun. Probably the best year I've had so far, I guess.

Anything about it that was particularly memorable?
Wrestling at state last year was fun, and our football season this year was really exciting. And I had a good time this summer.

What were your summer plans?
I went to wrestling camp and I got Camp Champ, and then I went to football camp the next week and tore my MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament), which kind of sucked. Then right after that we were going as a family to a lake in Utah and I couldn't swim or anything because of my knee, which is kind of a bummer, but I got to find some other things to do. I was hanging out with the little cousins and just hanging out and relaxing while I was getting better.

Do you think the world's going to end in 2012?
You know, I really don't. But, if it does I'm not going to do anything different. 2012 is going to be a great year, whether the world ends at the end of it or not.

Are you enjoying being a senior?
It's awesome. It's not as different from being a junior as I expected it to be, but it's definitely a lot of fun to be the top of the school.

What's next after you graduate high school?
I applied to BYU (Brigham Young University) so I'll probably go there. But nothing's for sure yet. Maybe the world will end and I won't get a chance.

I hope not. So, how'd you get into wrestling?
My mom's brothers were all wrestlers. My dad was actually a basketball player, so it wasn't really from him. In seventh grade I just decided to sign up, I wasn't doing anything else. So I signed up for wrestling and kind of got really into it. Now my dad thinks he's a wrestler too.

What's your favorite part about the sport?
I like that in wrestling there's a hundred percent correlation between how hard you work and the results that you see, you know. It definitely takes skill but it's not something where if you're not born with a knack for it you can't just improve by working hard. I can testify to that, that working hard pays off.

What about your least favorite part?
I really like a lot of things about it. I guess I don't like the stigmas about skin diseases and cauliflower ear and stuff. I had someone ask me -- they thought cauliflower ear was a fungus, but really it's just kind of a bruise in your ear. So I just don't like the stereotypes I guess, about cutting weight.

What do you think about the tight uniforms you wear? Are they pretty uncomfortable?
I've gotten used to it. I've never really thought about it but they are pretty revealing I guess, but I'm just used to it. Luckily, most wrestlers have pretty good bodies anyway.

How'd you do last season?
Last season I was a state participant. I got second at districts and then fourth at regionals.

So you could kick my butt right now if you really wanted to?
Yeah, probably. But I don't want to.

I appreciate that. Now some important stuff. Are you excited that Katy Perry is single again?
It's pretty exciting I guess. I mean, I don't know if it means a lot to me. But, you know, maybe if I do well this season she'll take a look at me.

What's your favorite Katy Perry song?
I like "California Gurls." We like to play that at wrestling practice sometimes. It's pretty fun.

Aside from Katy Perry, who would be your celebrity crush?
I can't remember her last name ... Zooey something. She's in "Elf." I can't remember her last name. Her first name's Zooey, and she has an amazing voice. (Zooey Deschanel, who is on the FOX show "New Girl")

Do you think you'd do well in Hollywood?
I think I'd do all right. I don't know. That's not my kind of place. Not my jam.

Where do you want to go? And what do you see yourself doing there?
I'm still really, really undecided. But I like singing and dancing and stuff. So, maybe Broadway.

What's your favorite kind of music?
I like all kinds of music. It just depends on the mood I'm in I guess. I'll listen to anything. I've got Pandora playing all the time at home.

Do you have a favorite musician?
Yeah, my favorite band, nobody's really heard of them, but they're called The Avett Brothers. They were just in concert in Everett last year. I missed the concert, but they're my favorite band. It's just two guys that do folk guitar, and they do some rock stuff. It's really fun.

What's the best concert you've ever been to?
I've actually never been to a concert. I have yet to go to a concert. (The Avett Brothers) would be my number one. I guess I went to one a long time ago when I was little and it was the Oak Ridge Boys, I don't know if you've ever heard of them.

No.
I mean, it's my best because it's my only one, but I would definitely prefer something else.

Do you have high hopes for 2012? You know, besides going to a concert.
Yeah. I'm looking for a state title in wrestling this year. That's my goal. I'm ranked third right now.

What's the best advice anyone's ever given you?
Um ... that's a tough one. I don't know if I can say "the best" right now but the thing that's coming to my head right now is something that my wrestling coach said and that's: "If you continue to do things the same way all the time, then you can always expect to have the same results." So, if you want to improve you have to constantly be changing and improving.