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13 "It was legit. I really am a huge competitive Pokémon fan," said Lee, whose favorite Pokémon is Arcanine, a first generation original. Terry Brands even summons the name of Lee's favored Pokémon as motivation before matches, saying "Arcanine, when it's time." "It keeps it light, you kind of smile," Lee said. "en I think, you're right coach, when it's time." PARENTS HAVE A BACKGROUND IN JUDO If the sport of judo was more popular in the United States, Lee would probably be exceling in that, rather than wrestling. His father was one of the original judo coaches who worked two cycles for the Olympic and Para-Olympic teams. His mother, Cathy, was an alternate for the Olympic Games in 1992. Spencer is confident she would have made Olympic teams in 1996 and 2000 had she not retired to focus on family. At 5-foot-3, Spencer is in the middle of his 5-6 father and 4-11 mother. "It could be genetics helping me out," said Spencer, who projects to stay at 125 pounds his entire collegiate career. Larry used wrestling to help his judo, Spencer uses judo to help his wrestling. Spencer calls his style "wrestling judo," and it features judo holds and grabs that are not only legal, but beneficial to freestyle and folkstyle wrestling. STAYING ACTIVE (AND HUMBLE) GROWING UP Like most of his friends, Lee participated in several sports growing up. He tried football, but felt he was too small. He hated baseball because he wanted to either bat every time on offense or have a ball hit to him every time on defense. He played soccer and ran cross country until eighth grade. University of Iowa freshman Spencer Lee glances toward the clock during an 18-0 technical fall victory over Alonzo Allen of Chattanooga in a 125-pound match at the NCAA Championships on March 15 in Cleveland. (Photo by Darren Miller)