SPRING HILL -- Caleb Murray sees every practice as an opportunity. 

"Being mentally tough and being conditioned, and knowing what you have to do at practice. Practice makes perfect.” 

If he loses a meet, he knows there’s no one else to take the blame. 

"I live and die by my own decisions, it’s definitely one of the big parts about wrestling that I like.”

Murray’s pursuit of perfection on the mat is driven by competition. 

"I’m a little too competitive. Which is a good thing and a bad thing, you know. If someone beats me I get upset so it’s like oh I want to do it again. I want that match again so I can beat them.” 

Murray is the captain of Nature Coast’s wrestling team and the current Gulf Coast Conference Champion. 

But his interest in the sport was sparked by another passion. 

"I started in high school actually to get better for football. Makes you a better tackler, a better grappler.” 

Murray is also a standout linebacker. He finished is senior season with 111 tackles. 

All this while maintaining a 3.82 GPA in advanced placement courses. 

"All the different AP classes, dual-enrollment, it’s definitely a little bit of a handful, but I think it’s definitely all worth it when you go to college.” 

His dedication to academics and athletics has caught the eye of many college programs. Murray has 12 football offers, and several others for wrestling, some schools want him for both. 

His wrestling coach and father, Mark Murray says it’s a testament to his Caleb’s work ethic. 

"He’s self driven. He’s motivated. I like that he motivates other people,” his Mark Murray said. "He’s willing to lead from the front and set the example.” 

Murray takes his roles as a dual-sport athlete seriously, but above all, he hopes to be a leader. 

"Come here and make a good example. Practice hard, even if I’m not feeling my best, there’s been tournaments I’ve been sick. You still have to give it your all,” Murray said. “It’s a great feeling to have everyone look up to you.”