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The next wrestler in my HIDDEN GEMS series hails from the Southern Meridian/Boise area of the Treasure Valley and has been involved in the sport of wrestling for essentially his entire life. Presently a senior at Mountain View High School in Meridian, Aiden McGinnis is rated among the top tier heavyweights in the state of Idaho, if not the greater western states, and as of late his mat experience has been to some degree a test of patience, yet very inspiring.

Growing up in a family where his father (Jacob) began his own wrestling career in Salmon, a small town nestled in the mountainous region of Central Idaho, it became apparent early on in Aiden’s life that he was going to as a matter of course assimilate into wrestling from the moment he was able to walk. For instance, his father’s passion and love for wrestling was very uplifting for him from the get-go, especially when he was able to follow his dad to all the Boise State University (BSU) practices, duals, and special events. It not only paved a solid path forward, but also surrounded him with positive role models to learn from and inspire to be someday.

Having earned two state medals for Salmon High School in the late 1990s and in due course an Individual PAC 10 title his junior year for BSU, along with being part of two PAC 10 Championship teams in 2002 and 2004, Jacob remained in the Treasure Valley upon graduation to pursue his occupational career as well as give back to the wrestling community by coaching at the youth and prep levels. This included Timberline High School in Boise (Head Coach, 2006-’09), Lake Hazel Middle School (Boise), and Kuna Wrestling Club (2012-’15). Over and above that, he took on the responsibilities of being the President of the Bronco Wrestling Club for several years at BSU (2006-’09). It was in this environment where he continued to bring Aiden to all the daily practices, dual meets, and by circumstance the young protégé (Aiden) was surrounded by a multitude of passionate and dedicated coaches (e.g., Chris Owens) as well as accomplished wrestlers from the prep and collegiate level programs, all taking him under their wings.

In life, we have dreams, pursue goals, and to some extent there are a handful that have internal ambitions towards achieving at the highest level possible in whatever they pursue. It is the extensive process coupled by an array of challenges that often deters a vast majority from ever sustaining long enough to experience their full potential in life. From the first day that Aiden entered the wrestling circle at the very young age of 5, his father, Jacob, emphasized to him the importance of embracing the process, always moving forward regardless of the challenges, and to take to heart the motto, “If you never quit, you’ll never be defeated.” The seed was planted!

Early on in Aiden’s mat career, he did not wrestle many kids his age and weight. A result of his size, Aiden often had to wrestle in tournaments against kids 3 to 5 years his senior, which through time began to impact his interest and resolve to remain in the sport. Without a doubt, Aiden was losing interest and even contemplated quitting, especially after being defeated six matches in a row at a local tournament. As a coach and father, Jacob was at a crossroads with Aiden and at the conclusion of this harsh experience reached out to his college coach, Chris Owens for advice. Simply put, Coach Owens advised Jacob to do the following, “give Aiden a big hug, buy him the ice cream of his choice, and let him know that you love him. More importantly, let wrestling be Aiden’s thing, not your thing.” Advice taken and carried out! In layman’s terms this was about rewarding Aiden’s effort, not the overall outcome. This was definitely a turning point in Aiden’s journey on the mat and without any pep talk from his father, he returned back to the mat the following week.

Proceeding, Aiden continued to have his ups and downs, but pressed on and embraced the process of learning, growing, and improving upon his experiences. His hard work, patience, and commitment to the process was beginning to pay off as he won individual state titles in Greco and Freestyle in the intermediate kid’s division. Furthermore, he added an additional state title in Freestyle, as well as a runner-up finish in the kid’s novice division the following year. As Aiden progressed into the middle school ranks, he was now wrestling more kids his age and adjusting to the challenges of higher-level competition.  

As of now, Aiden was good friends with Shilo Jones (since the 6^th grade), a fellow club and middle school wrestler who for several years competed in the weight group below him. Together, they entered the high school ranks at Mountain View with the combined vision of excelling to the highest level possible. Unbeknownst to Aiden all the while, Shilo was going to be the catalyst that would progressively change his trajectory and outlook in the sport. You may have heard the phrases, “to become the best, you have to surround yourself with the best,” or “Iron sharpens Iron.” Effectively, this was going to be the norm for the two in the Mountain View wrestling room moving forward and early speculation was that Aiden and Shilo would eventually be in the same weight group. It was not a matter of if, but when?

Aiden’s Freshman season at Mountain View went as anticipated, winning some and losing some, but more importantly adapting to the new level of competition. The dynamic of having a workout partner that was just as committed to the process and striving to reach the pinnacle of the sport only helped Aiden progress in the regular season in addition to preparing for the post season. Qualifying to the state tournament via the District Championships was a positive step forward and to be one of two Freshman in the state heavyweight bracket where nearly 70% were upperclassman proved to be a great challenge for Aiden. Be that as it may, Aiden wrestled tough against his competition and finished with a 1-2 record, while his teammate and workout partner, Shilo, placed 6^th at 220s.

Not one to spend a lot of time reflecting on his past performances, but learning from them, Aiden put his nose to the grindstone and got back to work in the wrestling room to prepare for the off-season Freestyle and Greco-Roman circuit. On top of that, he joined the Best-on-Best weekly training sessions led by Idaho National Coach and leader Chris Owens. The Best-on-Best then and now attracts top-level wrestlers from the greater Treasure Valley region as well as central and eastern Idaho to train together in a highly competitive setting. Putting his talents to the test, Aiden competed at several tournaments in the region against much of the same competition he had faced at the high school state championships and by the end of the spring of 2021 he was beginning to climb the ladder a bit with his solid third-place finish at the Idaho Freestyle State Championships.

If not having one of the best heavyweight wrestlers and workout partners in the wrestling room was challenging enough, the 2021-’22 season brought another talented heavyweight into the mix at Mountain View with the addition of Braden Moore, a junior that only a few months prior moved in from Oregon. With this addition, Mountain View now fielded one the toughest trio of heavyweights in the state of Idaho. As a result, this new dynamic only intensified the competition within, which through time increased Aiden’s wrestling IQ and growth potential a great deal. Entering the post season, both Aiden and Braden represented Mountain View at Heavyweight while Shilo remained at 220s. Now ranked among the top heavyweights in the state, Aiden’s path to the top podium at Districts not only meant getting past his teammate, Braden, but also high school newcomer, Aden Attao of Borah, who the summer prior earned double titles (Freestyle/Greco) at the Fargo Junior National Championships. Reaching the semi-finals as expected, Aiden met his fate and was pinned by Attao in the second period. Responding like a true champion, Aiden dominated the consolation side of the bracket and finished third to qualify to state, while Braden lost in the finals to Attao by pin, as well.

Reaching the state championships for the second year in a row, Aiden improved upon his performance from the previous season by making it to the round of 8 “aka, blood round,” but came up short of placing in the top six (Braden also reached the blood round, too, but did not advance, while Shilo placed 5^th at 220s). Once again, moving forward and trusting in the process, Aiden continued training even harder in the post season and performed well at state and regional competitions by winning titles at the Idaho State Folkstyle and Freestyle Championships in addition to making to the finals in both styles at the 16U Western Regionals. He then added his first prep level All-American honor to his resume by placing in the top 8 at the USMC Folkstyle National Recruiting Showcase, a major milestone in his continued journey on the mat.

Representing Team Idaho at the 2022 16U National Duals in Illinois, Aiden performed well in the Freestyle competition and a few months later nearly earned Fargo All-American honors in Greco, but fell short of placing when he lost a close match in the blood rounds (Round of 12). More recently, I had the opportunity to talk to Chris Owens about Aiden’s journey to this point. He states it best, “Aiden has put tons of time, effort and work into his wrestling…He’s made the most out of the partners he has had at Mountain View by being a great training partner, teammate and continuing with the process it takes be a good wrestler! I’m very happy for him that he has not cut one corner and has done our sport the right way for long enough to get his time to shine!”

As predicted only a few years prior, Shilo finally closed the gap in size and entered his junior season at heavyweight, joining both Aiden and Braden. This new dynamic became even more complicated. For instance, to compete in the post season district and state tournaments, each school is only allotted two wrestlers per weight group. The unknown for the coaching staff at Mountain View, who will be left out come post season. Despite having three state level wrestlers at heavyweights, it didn’t matter, only two were going to compete in the post season. It was very clear at this point that all three wrestlers were going to remain at heavyweight and not attempt to drop to the 220-weight group. To make things even worse, Aiden entered the 2022-’23 season with a broken ankle sustained a few weeks prior during the last game of the football playoffs. As a result, Aiden was sidelined for several weeks and did not compete until after Christmas in a league dual against Middleton. At this point of the season, it was determined via a wrestle-off that Shilo held the number one spot while Braden at two. This meant that Aiden had to meet a pre-determined team criteria to take over the number two spot to compete in the post season.

Unfortunately for Aiden, by the end of the regular season he did not meet the criteria to take over the number two spot on the team and as a result he did not have another chance to compete for a place on the state podium. He understood this scenario all too well from past experiences, but also acknowledged that this was not his end game. Being a team player, Aiden continued to train with Shilo and Braden in preparation for the post season and then joined all his teammates at state. When it was all said and done, Shilo reached the state finals against Aden Attao (now a World Bronze medalist in Greco) while Braden finished in third place.  

Coming to the realization that there were a handful state placers from the 5A, as well as from other state divisions that Aiden had beaten previously during the regular season did not help his state of mind, but once again served as a life lesson that not everything goes as planned. Oscar Auliq-Ice, a distinguished poet summed it very well, “Things don't always go as planned, but it's when you make a plan out of the unplanned and make the best of the unlikely things In life.” Once again, Aiden did not look back. He used this experience as a motivator and created a new game plan moving forward in preparation for his senior year. In short order, he got back to work training hard in the post season with Shilo at Best-on-Best and in the course of time placed runner-up in both styles at the Idaho State Freestyle/Greco Championships and not too long after earned his second All-American honor at the Reno Worlds. Once more, he competed at the prestigious Fargo Nationals, but came up short again of placing in the top 8 and earning All-American.

Changing course, a bit, I must also note that Aiden is an exceptional athlete on the gridiron. Playing Center for the Mavericks, Aiden is a three-year varsity letterman and this season was selected to the All-Conference team as well as participated in the East versus West Idaho Shriners All-Star game. On top of that, in the classroom, he is an honor roll student that currently maintains a 3.98 grade point average all while taking advanced placement and college prep courses. Impressive!!

There is the old saying, “summer wrestlers make winter champions.” Well, in the sport of wrestling this may not necessarily mean reaching the top of the podium at each and every competition, especially as one progresses towards the elite levels of our great sport. Sustaining at each incremental level on the way requires extreme patience and even more resolve. This process reminds me of the Chinese Proverb, “Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still.” Since his earliest experiences on the mat, Aiden has not only followed, but lives his daily life by this long-standing proverb. 

The 2023-’24 senior season is well underway and Aiden is currently ranked number two in the state behind his longtime teammate, friend, and training partner, Shilo Jones (3x State Placer/11x All-American). To date, Aiden has earned medals at two of the top-rated tournaments (Reno TOC/Rollie Lane) in the western United States and in the process has experienced a few ups and downs to this point. It is among his list of goals to finish his senior year on the top steps of the state podium. The future is unknown, but what is known is Aiden’s ability to navigate through the toughest of challenges that come his way, always moving forward regardless of the outcome. I am confident that whatever Aiden decides to pursue in the future years to come, whether it’s wrestling in college, playing collegiate level football, academics, family, or anything he puts his mind to pursue, he will be successful in one form or another. It’s not necessarily the accolades Aiden has produced thus far, which are very noteworthy, but his ability to remain focused during the process (journey) per se that impresses me the most. Perhaps it will be the incremental ups and downs he has experienced so far that will take him further in life than if he were to have had a monotonous and linear journey? Regardless of any obstacle(s) that may come his way in the future years to come, I am very confident that Aiden will remain steadfast in his lifetime pursuits. FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS!!

This past week, I had the opportunity to interview Aiden about his long journey in the sport of wrestling, football, academics, and the many challenges he has faced thus far. Below is my Q&A interview with Aiden and a list of his academic and athletic accolades. Enjoy!!

Q&A INTERVIEW W/AIDEN McGINNIS

HOW DID YOU FIRST GET INVOLVED IN THE SPORT OF WRESTLING?

MCGINNIS – My dad wrestled at BSU and when I was young. He would take me to watch the Boise State University (BSU) wrestling duals. Then around the age of 5, I started my wrestling career at the Patriots Wrestling Club and after a year I started going to Kuna’s kids wrestling club and I have wrestled since then.

WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE IN THE SPORT?

MCGINNIS – Well, I have had two major influences in my wrestling career, my Dad and Chris Owens. My Dad is the one who introduced me to the sport of wrestling and as I have progressed to competing at the national level, Chris Owens has coached me more and more and has helped me elevate myself to a high level. For almost three years, he has helped mentor and coach me along with my father who has always been there for me.

HEADING INTO YOUR SENIOR SEASON, WHAT ARE YOUR SHORT- AND LONG-TERM GOALS AT MOUNTAIN VIEW HIGH SCHOOL?

MCGINNIS – Right now my life is wake up, go to school, wrestle, go home, eat, sleep, and do it all again the next day. I am not focused on anything right now except school, wrestling, and spending time with my family. After leaving it all on the mat at the state tournament in February my next goal will be to graduate and decide what I want to do after high school.

HAVING HAD SOME GREAT SUCCESS AT THIS POINT IN YOUR CAREER, DESCRIBE YOUR TRAINING ROUTINE AND YOUR OUTLOOK IN THE YEARS AHEAD.

MCGINNIS – My training routine has been changing and progressing each year. I have always wrestled during the high school season and have given it my all each season. After the high school season, I start lifting with the football team, and I would wrestle 2x a week at the Best-on-Best practices ran by Chris Owens. Then I would compete at a few wrestling tournaments in the spring, specifically Western Regionals and Idaho Freestyle and Greco state to qualify for Fargo. I would also compete at a national tournament or two like the US Open or Folkstyle Nationals. In the summer I would have my football camp with my team at BSU for a week in June. After that, I would continue with lifting and wrestling 2x a week until Fargo camp. Then after Fargo camp, I would go to Fargo to compete. Then after that, its football until high school wrestling season.

DESCRIBE YOUR ACADEMIC AND WRESTLING EXPERIENCE AT MOUNTAIN VIEW HIGH SCHOOL.

MCGINNIS – Mountain View is a school that takes pride in their athletics and academics. Teachers and students care about our sports teams and are encouraging of every sport. They also put an emphasis on being a student first and athlete second, which helps all athletes pursuing a college career be prepared with good habits early.

WHAT ARE YOUR ACADEMIC GOALS AT MOUNTAIN VIEW HIGH SCHOOL AND BEYOND?

MCGINNIS – My goal is to finish this year with a 4.0 GPA, and I want to go into the medical field after high school.

DESCRIBE WHAT IT HAS BEEN LIKE TO BE IN THE TOUGHEST WRESTLING ROOM IN THE STATE FOR THE HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION.

MCGINNIS – “Iron sharpens Iron”, I have been in a room with Shilo Jones for the last 7 years. Having a workout partner that will push you to your limits every day makes you constantly improve each day. Even last year when I was wrestling on a broken ankle, I saw improvement each day from wrestling with Shilo and Braden Moore. Without the competition that I had in the practice room, I would not be at the level that I am at now with my wrestling.

DO YOU HAVE AMBITIONS OF COMPETING IN COLLEGE OR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION?

MCGINNIS – I have been competing nationally for a couple years now, but I still don’t know if I will compete in the sport at the college level. Right now, I am just focusing on being successful this high school season, then I will decide on what my future holds.

IS THERE AN OLYMPIAN, COLLEGIATE LEVEL WRESTLER, COACH OR SOMEONE OUTSIDE OF THE SPORT OF WRESTLING THAT YOU WANT TO ASPIRE TO BE SOMEDAY?

MCGINNIS – Someone that I look up to now more than ever is Stephan Neal. His accomplishments in both wrestling and football and wrestling are well known. As of now, I don’t know which sport I want to pursue, but to have someone who has had a great career in both sports is very encouraging to me.

WHAT LIFE LESSONS HAVE YOU LEARNED IN WRESTLING THAT APPLIES IN YOUR DAY-TO-DAY LIFE?

MCGINNIS – Some life lessons that I have learned in wrestling, and that I apply to my day-to-day life are things like dedication, hard-work, reflection, and positivity. One that has a big impact on my day-to-day life is the discipline that wrestling builds. The ability to do things that need to be done regardless of how I feel.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE A YOUNG WRESTLER WANTING TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE SPORT OF WRESTLING OR IN LIFE?

MCGINNIS – Give it your all every day. Every day that you get to be able to wrestle is a tremendous blessing, so don’t waste a day. Work as hard as you can each and every day and you will see improvement not just in your wrestling but also in your character and mental toughness.

WHAT OTHER GOALS DO YOU HAVE IN LIFE?

MCGINNIS – To someday be a great husband and father, and a man that can be a good role model for others to look up to. To be a college athlete and to obtain a higher education.

DO YOU HAVE A SAYING, MOTTO OR PHILOSOPHY THAT YOU LIVE BY?

MCGINNIS – A saying that I have come to live by is one that my dad says all the time. “IF NOTHING CHANGES, THEN NOTHING CHANGES.” This simply means when you want to see a change in yourself or in something around you, then you have to change something to make that change you want to happen. If you want to be faster, do more sprints.

ONCE YOU ARE DONE COMPETING, DO YOU HAVE PLANS TO STAY INVOLVED WITH WRESTLING?

MCGINNIS – I’ve always heard that the best wrestlers try to give back to the sport when they are older. I don’t know what my future holds, but I always will try to give back to this sport however I can when I am older. Whether it is coaching or just donations to the local wrestling clubs, I will try to give back to this sport which has taught me so much.

OUTSIDE THE SPORT OF WRESTLING, WHAT OTHER HOBBIES, SPORTS, AND FAMILY FUNCTIONS DO YOU ENJOY MOST?

MCGINNIS – I enjoy doing outdoor activities when I can like camping, fishing, hiking, etc. I also enjoy playing football, I might play football in college. I also enjoy cooking for my family and friends.

ACADEMIC AND ATHLETIC PROFILE

SCHOOL: Mountain View High School (Meridian)

WRESTLING CLUB: Team Idaho/Best on Best

GRADE: 12 (Class of 2024)

WEIGHT: 285

FOOTBALL

• Position: Center
• Varsity: 3 years
• All-Conference – 2^nd Team (Southern Idaho Conference)
• Participated in the East vs. West Idaho Shriners All-Star Game

ACADEMIC ACCOLADES

• GPA: 3.98 (College Prep/AP Classes)

   

  EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

   

  WRESTLING ACCOLADES

• Rollie Lane Invitational medalist ’24
• Reno Tournament of Champions medalist ’24

• Boy Scouts of America
• Coaches at the Kids level (Club)

• Reno Worlds Finalist – 2^nd Place/ALL-AMERICAN ’23
• Idaho Junior State Championships – 2^nd Place (GR) ‘23
• Idaho Junior State Championships – 2^nd Place (FS) ‘23
• USA Wrestling 16U Western Regional – 2^nd Place (GR) ‘22
• USA Wrestling 16U Western Regional – 2^nd Place (FS) ‘22
• USA Wrestling 16U Idaho National Dual Team ‘22
• Idaho 16U State Champion (FS) ‘22
• Idaho Junior State Championships – 3^rd Place (FS) ‘22
• Idaho Junior State Championships – 2^nd Place (GR) ‘22
• USMC Folkstyle National Recruiting Showcase – 7^th Place/ALL-AMERICAN ‘22
• Idaho Folkstyle State Champion ‘22
• IHSAA 5A District III Championships – 3^rd Place (SQ) ‘22
• Idaho Freestyle State Championships – 3^rd Place ‘21
• IHSAA 5A District III Championships – 7^th Place (SQ) ‘21