The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/589596
INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS always had hopes of wrestling in college and, after my senior year, I ended up hearing from Michigan State and Central Michigan. " Then, I ended up getting a call from Coach [Joe] McFarland at U-M. I set up my visit, I loved the school and the team when I came down here, and it's been a great decision. I'm really happy it worked out this way." Sports have always been a big part of Ralston's life, but academ- ics were constantly in the fore- front. "If there's something I wanted to do, a goal I had or something that really meant a lot to me, I've always put all of my effort into it," he said. "Aca- demically, it has paid off for me and I've put a lot of effort into it. "For me, getting good grades is something I have to work really hard at." Even with an extremely demanding schedule at U-M, Ralston still finds time to extend himself into extracurricular arenas that are making a difference in the lives of young people. It's something he thoroughly enjoys and hopes will guide others into decisions they'll be happy with. "Over the years I've done different volunteering with physicians at the hos- pital," Ralston explained. "Right now, two hours a week on Mondays, I go to a dental clinic and just sort of help out. Whether it's just being an extra assistant or whatever I can do. "Also, there's a group of about six student-athletes, and we went over to a community center in Ann Arbor and spent time with kids of all ages. We did activities with them and had some serious conversations with them about their goals and talked with them about things they'd like to do. We just kind of gave them advice on things that would've been beneficial for us when we were their age." With just a handful of months left at Michigan and after scoring in the 98th percentile of his dental exams, Ralston is now focusing on the next chapter of his life. "I just want to finish really strong," he said. "Next June I'll be applying to dental schools and finding out where I'll be. I plan on applying to a lot of places and if I get into Michigan's dental program that would be a dream scenario." — Brandon Brown Ralston splits his time between his academic work, competing on the wrestling team and volunteering around the community. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS