The wrestling season will start on Nov. 2 with the Intersquad Wrestle Off in the arena at 6 p.m. The event will determine which wrestlers make the varsity team.
“It’s all on who wins the wrestling match,” head coach Jacob Green said. “We’ll have our [top two wrestlers] ready to wrestle that Thursday. They’ll weigh in, do a regular duel against [the coaches and each other] and that will determine who [the starter is].”
To prepare for the start of the season, students have been training their bodies by practicing after school and doing conditioning.
“It’s optional to come, but I’m always here — always getting better,” sophomore Alexander Barros said. “Wrestling with [the] coach [and] wrestling with teammates really helps me get better.”
Last school year, 11 members on the wrestling team graduated, so the majority of the wrestlers on the team this season are new.
“Most of us [on the girls team] are first years, [but Green] makes sure everybody understands what to do,” sophomore Annalisa Afrifa said. “If [students] need extra help, he’s always there.”
With the addition of new wrestlers this year, Green said he has to deal with additional responsibilities. Not only must he teach the newer students about the rules and moves of wrestling, but he is also trying to establish a comfortable environment for the team.
“Figuring out how to establish team culture [and] how to establish the drive inside of some of these kids that they need to progress in the sport [is important],” Green said. “Once you figure out what motivates certain individuals, it’s really easy to get them going. You get a couple people going, [and] they bring everyone with them; that’s really where your culture kicks off.”
Green said he believes it’s important to motivate the wrestling team to work for their goals, as wrestling is a sport that has always held great importance to himself. Due to its important presence in his life, Green said he wants to give back to the community and help student wrestlers as they grow up.
“You can set a lot of goals for yourself, and I hate quitting on myself, so I set high goals for myself, in wrestling especially,” junior Jayden Sullivan said. “Committing to something is good for [yourself].”
Last season, the team only had six of the 14 weight classes filled and lost many duels for the open spots. However, Green said the team has gained many members on both the boys and girls teams this season.
“We’re going to do a lot better this upcoming year because we’re going to be covering our weight classes and [there’s] a couple of new kids that I really think can grow [as wrestlers],” Green said. “They’ll need some time to get into it, but they have good opportunities to do really well.”
