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The Heavyweight: Connor Barket Has Big Plans on and off the Wrestling Mat
12/24/2024 9:00:00 AM | Wrestling
DURHAM, N.C.-- Duke wrestling's Connor Barket is the total package. On the mat, the redshirt sophomore is all about turning pressure into pleasure. Off the mat, the redshirt sophomore is hoping to take all the life lessons and privileges he and other Duke athletes have garnered through sports and share them with young athletes in the Durham community through his newly founded Rising Athletes Foundation.
Barket is off to a stellar start to the 2024-25 campaign with a 14-2 record and a top 30 ranking for the first time in his career. The 14 wins are two shy of his total last season, his first as Duke's starting heavyweight. He also is fresh off an inspiring summer service trip to Panama through Duke's ACE program, leaving him inspired to make a difference off the mat.
Barket took the bumps and bruises both physically and mentally in his first two seasons in a collegiate wrestling room. Now he is back with a firm grasp on his physical strengths, which he plays to well, and a mental edge that has grown exponentially — the perfect formula for success.
"I remember my freshman year," said Barket. "We had a big heavyweight in Jonah Niesenbaum. He was an exceptional wrestler and also just a gigantic human being. He was probably 6-4 and 260. I stepped on campus at about 200 to 205 pounds, and I was expected to go wrestle him every day. Life was completely miserable to start, to be completely honest. It was no fun at all, especially in the sport of wrestling where if you lose, you get your face beat in by somebody else's hands. So, going through that every day for months makes you question a lot."
A native of West Lafayette, Ind., home to the Purdue Boilermakers, Barket started wrestling in third grade as part of the Boiler Elite Club. It was he and his dad traveling around the state so he could compete in the peewee tournaments.
He continued through middle school and the sport became serious for the youngest Barket son at the beginning of high school, where he started out wrestling at 170 pounds — heavier than his older brother and dad ever were in their wrestling careers. He bumped up to 182 as a sophomore and finished his scholastic career at 195 and entered Duke at just over 200 pounds.
Barket, like most young athletes, had thoughts of quitting at times but he credits the sport of wrestling with providing him with a road map of how to navigate and overcome the obstacles and adversity he is certain to face in life.
"Wrestling has taught me pretty much everything I know about being a good person and working hard," Barket said. "It has been almost a simulation of very challenging obstacles (you will face in life). There are so many moments of adversity. You get hurt so many times. Practices are tough. You have coaches who are gonna push you, partners who are gonna push you, and you're out there on your own. In that environment, you have to learn how to handle things the right way, how to handle pressure, how to be a good person. And if you attack everything with the correct mindset in the sport of wrestling, you can achieve great things."
Bolstered by the support and motivation from his parents to continue wrestling, Barket caught the eyes of head coach Glen Lanham and assistant coach Tom Erikson, and he became a Blue Devil officially in the summer of 2022.
"I have to give a lot of credit to my dad and my mom for being so supportive and keeping me in the sport of wrestling, because it gets very difficult," Barket said. "Everyone wants to quit numerous times, and if someone says they don't, they're probably lying. But they kept me steady on the path. They kept me motivated, and they kept me with a good mindset to approach the sport."
It wasn't easy sailing once he arrived at Duke. He had to adjust his wrestling style because what worked in high school was no longer going to be effective against Division I opponents night in and night out.
"In high school I used to be way cooler of a wrestler," Barket said. "I used to do way cooler things because I could. I'd shoot from way out in distance and just grab their leg and take them down. I'd be hitting weird suicide cradles, just throwing boots and just doing whatever I could, because the competition wasn't as good, and I could get away with that. College is a different story."
So, Barket shed naïve freshman year Connor who thought he could be successful with his high school methods and worked with the coaching staff, building physical strength in the weight room and honing his wrestling skills on the mat to begin forming his identity as a wrestler.
While there may be plenty of film on Barket for opponents to watch he is confident in his "stuff." He knows he can get to his underhook and snatch the single leg, and he has 100 percent belief behind it. That was not the case last year when he was still trying to find his way in the wrestling room.
"Now, if you watch any of my matches you pretty much know exactly what I'm going to do, which is easier to scout," Barket said. "But it's also my stuff and I believe no one could stop my stuff. The film is out there, and people still let me get to my underhook and snatch the single."
Barket has made even greater strides within the mental piece of wrestling, which some could argue is more than half of the battle when you're all alone on the mat. The difference between this year and last is evident in the matches he's won in the final minute of the third period.
In a crucial matchup against No. 33 Jack Forbes of Utah Valley, Barket trailed 3-1 heading into the third period. Forbes scored an escape to go in front 4-1 early in the two-minute affair. Barket, with the Duke coaching staff encouraging him to stay true to his wrestling identity, answered with a takedown to tie the match 4-4, and after Forbes regained a 5-4 lead, Barket registered a takedown in the final 20 seconds to capture a thrilling ranked win.
"I do not believe I win those matches last year and it's because of the mental edge I've gained and the trust I have in myself and the confidence I built up over this past year," Barket said. "The mental switch between the pressure of, 'I gotta win'Â to solely focusing on my performance and how I want to go out and compete, how I want to move in the hand fight, how I want to move off bottom, how I want to move in the third period. Enjoying the challenge of that has turned a lot of the pressure I had felt into excitement and pleasure as we say. So, the biggest jumps I've made have been mental. Just sitting down, appreciating the sport, appreciating every practice."
As Barket leans into enjoying the difficult moments in wrestling, he's excited to share with young aspiring athletes in the Durham community all he's learned on the mat and in the classroom over the years. He's benefited so greatly from sports and a community of individuals always in his corner he wants to help provide the same for others.
The idea was born following his experiences while on a service trip to Panama through Duke's ACE initiative, which provides one-time funding for accepted Duke student-athletes to participate in immersive summer service experiences with international community partners.
"When I found out it was free, I thought to myself, 'This is dumbest thing if I don't go.' Also, a friend on the track team, Michael Bennett went on (an ACE trip) the year before, and he said just go because it was the best week ever. And then every other ACE alumni I've talked to also said it's the greatest thing ever. Now, I'm one of those ACE alumni who said it is the greatest thing ever, and everyone should do it."
Barket and 11 other Duke athletes spent time immersing themselves in the Panamanian culture in a small village where they taught volleyball to students in the 8-11 age range. For Barket it was through sport they were able to overcome the existing language barrier because he spoke little Spanish and they spoke no English, so it was up to the universal language of athletics to bridge the gap.
"In the time I spent with the kids, I was able to learn a little bit about each and every one of them and formed a real connection with them even though I spoke very, very bad Spanish. But they still understood just because we got to go out and play sports together."
The food wasn't half bad either, Barket remembers fondly. He gives his mom's home cooking the slight edge.
"The school had a kitchen that the moms would come in and cook in," Barket said. "The stove was just a cinder block with a fire lit underneath it. It was the greatest food, besides my mom's cooking. It was the best thing I've ever eaten in my life."
There was one young boy who stood out while playing volleyball. A natural gifted athlete got the Duke athletes thinking, "What if he wanted to pursue this sport more seriously?" Through serious conversations among the Duke athletes and the director of ACE, Emily Durham, they realized that was not a possibility simply because there wasn't an opportunity or a support system to provide guidance.
After further reflection and encouragement from Emily Durham, Barket realized there was something he could do back in Durham, and the Rising Athletes Foundation idea started to take form.
"We all know how much sports have affected our lives, so Emily Durham further pushed us, and reminded us this problem persists in Durham itself," Barket said. "I thought, 'Oh, my God, you are absolutely correct.' And so, when we got back from Panama those who are interested hopped on a call to see how we can we figure out how to do this."
Barket has taken the lead because he says he's the person who knows how to be "annoying" enough to push the process along. He has gotten them their 501(c) status as a non-profit organization and within the next few weeks he hopes to have his first group of high school athletes set to receive mentoring, tutoring and help navigating the sports world.
"We want to give back, because we know how many resources we have, how privileged we are sitting in our position, and the effect we can have on these kids," Barket said. "I remember growing up right next to Purdue and they would have days where football and basketball players would come in, and every kid would be glued to the edge of their seat."
And just like Barket has approached the idea of appreciating the process of how to be successful on the wrestling mat, he is taking the Rising Athletes Foundation day-by-day and enjoying the small victories with an ultimate goal in mind.
"What we are trying to provide is mentorship," Barket said about his new foundation. "Then further down the road after we are able to raise money, we want to help financially aid these kids pay for sports camps, prospect camps, equipment, and anything they need to help them pursue their athletic goals. The mentoring side is one way to make them better athletes, but also more, much more importantly, to inspire them to be good people."
To stay up to date with Blue Devils wrestling, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWRES".
#GoDuke
Â
Barket is off to a stellar start to the 2024-25 campaign with a 14-2 record and a top 30 ranking for the first time in his career. The 14 wins are two shy of his total last season, his first as Duke's starting heavyweight. He also is fresh off an inspiring summer service trip to Panama through Duke's ACE program, leaving him inspired to make a difference off the mat.
Barket took the bumps and bruises both physically and mentally in his first two seasons in a collegiate wrestling room. Now he is back with a firm grasp on his physical strengths, which he plays to well, and a mental edge that has grown exponentially — the perfect formula for success.
"I remember my freshman year," said Barket. "We had a big heavyweight in Jonah Niesenbaum. He was an exceptional wrestler and also just a gigantic human being. He was probably 6-4 and 260. I stepped on campus at about 200 to 205 pounds, and I was expected to go wrestle him every day. Life was completely miserable to start, to be completely honest. It was no fun at all, especially in the sport of wrestling where if you lose, you get your face beat in by somebody else's hands. So, going through that every day for months makes you question a lot."
A native of West Lafayette, Ind., home to the Purdue Boilermakers, Barket started wrestling in third grade as part of the Boiler Elite Club. It was he and his dad traveling around the state so he could compete in the peewee tournaments.
He continued through middle school and the sport became serious for the youngest Barket son at the beginning of high school, where he started out wrestling at 170 pounds — heavier than his older brother and dad ever were in their wrestling careers. He bumped up to 182 as a sophomore and finished his scholastic career at 195 and entered Duke at just over 200 pounds.
Barket, like most young athletes, had thoughts of quitting at times but he credits the sport of wrestling with providing him with a road map of how to navigate and overcome the obstacles and adversity he is certain to face in life.
"Wrestling has taught me pretty much everything I know about being a good person and working hard," Barket said. "It has been almost a simulation of very challenging obstacles (you will face in life). There are so many moments of adversity. You get hurt so many times. Practices are tough. You have coaches who are gonna push you, partners who are gonna push you, and you're out there on your own. In that environment, you have to learn how to handle things the right way, how to handle pressure, how to be a good person. And if you attack everything with the correct mindset in the sport of wrestling, you can achieve great things."
Bolstered by the support and motivation from his parents to continue wrestling, Barket caught the eyes of head coach Glen Lanham and assistant coach Tom Erikson, and he became a Blue Devil officially in the summer of 2022.
"I have to give a lot of credit to my dad and my mom for being so supportive and keeping me in the sport of wrestling, because it gets very difficult," Barket said. "Everyone wants to quit numerous times, and if someone says they don't, they're probably lying. But they kept me steady on the path. They kept me motivated, and they kept me with a good mindset to approach the sport."
It wasn't easy sailing once he arrived at Duke. He had to adjust his wrestling style because what worked in high school was no longer going to be effective against Division I opponents night in and night out.
"In high school I used to be way cooler of a wrestler," Barket said. "I used to do way cooler things because I could. I'd shoot from way out in distance and just grab their leg and take them down. I'd be hitting weird suicide cradles, just throwing boots and just doing whatever I could, because the competition wasn't as good, and I could get away with that. College is a different story."
So, Barket shed naïve freshman year Connor who thought he could be successful with his high school methods and worked with the coaching staff, building physical strength in the weight room and honing his wrestling skills on the mat to begin forming his identity as a wrestler.
While there may be plenty of film on Barket for opponents to watch he is confident in his "stuff." He knows he can get to his underhook and snatch the single leg, and he has 100 percent belief behind it. That was not the case last year when he was still trying to find his way in the wrestling room.
"Now, if you watch any of my matches you pretty much know exactly what I'm going to do, which is easier to scout," Barket said. "But it's also my stuff and I believe no one could stop my stuff. The film is out there, and people still let me get to my underhook and snatch the single."
Barket has made even greater strides within the mental piece of wrestling, which some could argue is more than half of the battle when you're all alone on the mat. The difference between this year and last is evident in the matches he's won in the final minute of the third period.
In a crucial matchup against No. 33 Jack Forbes of Utah Valley, Barket trailed 3-1 heading into the third period. Forbes scored an escape to go in front 4-1 early in the two-minute affair. Barket, with the Duke coaching staff encouraging him to stay true to his wrestling identity, answered with a takedown to tie the match 4-4, and after Forbes regained a 5-4 lead, Barket registered a takedown in the final 20 seconds to capture a thrilling ranked win.
"I do not believe I win those matches last year and it's because of the mental edge I've gained and the trust I have in myself and the confidence I built up over this past year," Barket said. "The mental switch between the pressure of, 'I gotta win'Â to solely focusing on my performance and how I want to go out and compete, how I want to move in the hand fight, how I want to move off bottom, how I want to move in the third period. Enjoying the challenge of that has turned a lot of the pressure I had felt into excitement and pleasure as we say. So, the biggest jumps I've made have been mental. Just sitting down, appreciating the sport, appreciating every practice."
As Barket leans into enjoying the difficult moments in wrestling, he's excited to share with young aspiring athletes in the Durham community all he's learned on the mat and in the classroom over the years. He's benefited so greatly from sports and a community of individuals always in his corner he wants to help provide the same for others.
The idea was born following his experiences while on a service trip to Panama through Duke's ACE initiative, which provides one-time funding for accepted Duke student-athletes to participate in immersive summer service experiences with international community partners.
"When I found out it was free, I thought to myself, 'This is dumbest thing if I don't go.' Also, a friend on the track team, Michael Bennett went on (an ACE trip) the year before, and he said just go because it was the best week ever. And then every other ACE alumni I've talked to also said it's the greatest thing ever. Now, I'm one of those ACE alumni who said it is the greatest thing ever, and everyone should do it."
Barket and 11 other Duke athletes spent time immersing themselves in the Panamanian culture in a small village where they taught volleyball to students in the 8-11 age range. For Barket it was through sport they were able to overcome the existing language barrier because he spoke little Spanish and they spoke no English, so it was up to the universal language of athletics to bridge the gap.
"In the time I spent with the kids, I was able to learn a little bit about each and every one of them and formed a real connection with them even though I spoke very, very bad Spanish. But they still understood just because we got to go out and play sports together."
The food wasn't half bad either, Barket remembers fondly. He gives his mom's home cooking the slight edge.
"The school had a kitchen that the moms would come in and cook in," Barket said. "The stove was just a cinder block with a fire lit underneath it. It was the greatest food, besides my mom's cooking. It was the best thing I've ever eaten in my life."
There was one young boy who stood out while playing volleyball. A natural gifted athlete got the Duke athletes thinking, "What if he wanted to pursue this sport more seriously?" Through serious conversations among the Duke athletes and the director of ACE, Emily Durham, they realized that was not a possibility simply because there wasn't an opportunity or a support system to provide guidance.
After further reflection and encouragement from Emily Durham, Barket realized there was something he could do back in Durham, and the Rising Athletes Foundation idea started to take form.
"We all know how much sports have affected our lives, so Emily Durham further pushed us, and reminded us this problem persists in Durham itself," Barket said. "I thought, 'Oh, my God, you are absolutely correct.' And so, when we got back from Panama those who are interested hopped on a call to see how we can we figure out how to do this."
Barket has taken the lead because he says he's the person who knows how to be "annoying" enough to push the process along. He has gotten them their 501(c) status as a non-profit organization and within the next few weeks he hopes to have his first group of high school athletes set to receive mentoring, tutoring and help navigating the sports world.
"We want to give back, because we know how many resources we have, how privileged we are sitting in our position, and the effect we can have on these kids," Barket said. "I remember growing up right next to Purdue and they would have days where football and basketball players would come in, and every kid would be glued to the edge of their seat."
And just like Barket has approached the idea of appreciating the process of how to be successful on the wrestling mat, he is taking the Rising Athletes Foundation day-by-day and enjoying the small victories with an ultimate goal in mind.
"What we are trying to provide is mentorship," Barket said about his new foundation. "Then further down the road after we are able to raise money, we want to help financially aid these kids pay for sports camps, prospect camps, equipment, and anything they need to help them pursue their athletic goals. The mentoring side is one way to make them better athletes, but also more, much more importantly, to inspire them to be good people."
To stay up to date with Blue Devils wrestling, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWRES".
#GoDuke
Â
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