The boys wrestling team has put in a considerable amount of hard work and effort to kick off a successful season. After racking up five meets, two tournaments, and a couple of duals, the team is in a solid position to contend for the conference title this year.
They have competed in two tournaments so far this season: the Addison Trail and Prospect tournaments. On top of that, the team has participated in multiple duals against competitive schools like Maine West, Mount Prospect, and Rolling Meadows. At their recent super dual on Dec. 6, the team went 5-0. As for the triple dual against Mount Prospect and Rolling Meadows, it ended on a high note by winning both matches.
Collectively, the team has been performing well. However, there are a few standout individuals who have delivered especially impressive results. For instance, sophomore Nicholas Marcus finished in first place at the Prospect tournament.
For many students, winter break is a time of leisure. For the boys wrestling team, it’s another opportunity to outwork their opponents and push towards their goals.
“Winter break is when a lot of growth is made,” senior Nate Janes-Smith said. “It separates who wants to put that work in and show up for practice.”
The team trains at a high intensity at each practice. It takes not only physical strength to be a wrestler but also a lot of mental toughness. Coach RJ leads morning practices filled with difficult conditioning that puts wrestlers in the best shape to perform.
“We do circuits where we do things like stance motion, a six-minute wall sit. We have to do a lot of stairs, and jump roping, “ Janes-Smith said. “There are not a lot of breaks because we go at such a high speed.”
The wrestling team should be recognized as a sport that puts forth its best effort into its difficult training. From conversations with them, many wrestlers would agree that wrestling has changed their lives.
”It’s empowering, and it definitely boosts my confidence in who I am, “ Janes-Smith said. “A lot of my friends are wrestlers, and they’re great people who support each other; it’s a very supportive team.”
All in all, the team is working intensely hard to perform their best in the important upcoming matches.
