The annual award is given out by the National Wrestling Coaches Association and the U.S. Marines to high school junior and senior wrestlers from around the country.
The honor is based on a person's leadership skills. The Marines specify those as dependability, judgment, endurance, initiative, tact, integrity, unselfishness, loyalty and courage.
National Wrestling Coaches Association Communications and Marketing Coordinator Nate Naasz said this year there are more than 1,000 students who received the award. Letchford is one of 11 Utahns to have won it. He is also the first wrestler from Park City High School to do so.
He was nominated by his head coach Curt Futch.
Letchford has been wrestling for about 12 years. He said he got into the sport thanks to his dad who wrestled in high school and college.
Letchford said what he loves most about the sport is the challenge.
“I love the grind to teach me a lot of life lessons, a ton of things that have been ingrained into my character now," Letchford said. "I really couldn't have been the man I am today without wrestling.”
When Letchford is not on the wrestling mat he likes to lift weights, ski, fish and play rugby for the Wasatch High School team.
Letchford said that in the fall he will attend Arizona State University and he has not decided yet if he will wrestle in college.