AUSTIN, Texas — The Henry family knows wrestling, so when Jacob Henry pursued the sport a few years ago, it was no surprise.

What You Need To Know

  • Jacob’s father is WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry

  • Jacob Henry won the district title in wrestling as a sophomore

  • Henry qualified for the state tournament this year

  • Henry plays on the defensive line for the football team

“I started picking up amateur wrestling when I was in the seventh grade,” Henry. “My dad used to be a professional wrestler, and that’s something I want to do when I graduate college.”

Henry, a sophomore at Lake Travis High School, is the son of Mark Henry, the world’s strongest man and WWE Hall of Famer. Henry has seen up close what life is like for a pro wrestling superstar. He wants that life, but wants to earn it on his own.

“The thing that bothers me the most is that when I accomplish something and people go, ‘as you should  — you’re Mark Henry’s son,’” said Jacob. “I’m like, ‘no, there’s a lot of famous people with famous children and their children aren’t doing anything with their lives.’ I put in the work, I put in the hours, I take what’s mine and that’s something my dad bestowed on me.”

A mindset focused on greatness is definitely something that was passed down.

“He’s got a plan, and that’s a lot more than I had at that time. I just had a dream,” said Mark. “I didn’t ever want him to live in my shadow and [I] said ‘go and be you. You’ll be judged by me being your dad, and people are going to take shots at you because I’m your dad.’”

That’s especially true when Jacob took up wrestling in high school. He walks into a gym and most people know who he is, but it’s something his coach feels he’s able to handle.

“You can tell he’s been dealing with that his whole life and he handles it well,” said Lake Travis wrestling coach Kevin Smith. “He’s just one of the guys, one of the other wrestlers.”

“With that target on your back, people are coming for you,” said Mark. “You better be prepared for a fight because people are coming for you every week.”

Henry has quickly made a name for himself on the mat. He was a varsity wrestler as a freshman and came one match short of making the regional tournament. That loss motivated him to come back better this year.

“I feel like I needed that loss so I could see the bigger picture,” said Jacob. “I had to have that talk with myself in the mirror and say ‘you were out of shape last year, you weren’t in good conditioning.’”

This year he won the district title, made the regional tournament and qualified for the state tournament — achieving the goals he set for himself.

“He came back with a vengeance this year,” said Smith.

“For the next couple of years I want to be able to go to state three times in a row,” said Henry. “It’s not about what’s going on this week, it’s about my entire future. I have to win. It’s not like ‘oh, it would be nice.’ No, it’s win or you die for me.”

He carries the confidence of someone that knows what it takes to achieve his goals and take hold of his future. But it’s not just about wrestling for Henry, he also plays football, throws the shot put in track and sings in the choir.

“I want to expand my horizons and the more I expand my horizons the bigger I can be,” said Jacob.

He aspires to be on the level of one of the most famous people in the world.

“I always like to compare myself to The Rock,” said Jacob. “My mom’s always like, ‘you’re not The Rock,’ but I’m like I can be someday.”

He prepares for that someday with the work he puts in today.