The boys wrestling team has a current record of less than 500, but that hasn’t slowed their hopes for better. The boys have high hopes from their coaches’ positivity and support.
“It was never about the wins and losses,” Marc Miller, coach, said. “It’s about the process and making yourself better every day and learning how to be resilient, overcoming adversity, working hard and pushing on.”
One adversity they face this year is having a smaller team.
“We don’t have as much participation as we would like from years past,” Miller said.
Despite the lack of numbers, the boys are still working hard at their goals for state in the next few weeks.
“They have been focusing on the little things to make improvements,” Terrance Kubski, assistant coach, said. “They are just getting better overall.”
The boys have been focusing on their individual success as well. Both the team and the coaches have high hopes for a few wrestlers to go to state this year.
“I’m hoping I can go down to state this year and place. Even though I’ve been to state before, I’ve never placed,” Nick Minnito, senior, said. “I’ve won against people who have placed at state, but I’ve never placed.”
Ahern is focused on state as well.
“I’ve been working my butt off trying to get records up to go to state,” Ahern said.
Despite having a smaller team this season, the boys’ drive for success hasn’t swayed.
“The good thing is that those who stayed are really committed to our team,” Minnito said.
Minnito placed first in conference last weekend.
Not only are the boys committed to their sport, but to each other as well.
“This is probably the closest I’ve ever been to a team,” Joe Ahern, senior, said. “They are probably my closest friends since I moved here.”
Ahern finished second in conference last weekend at Plainfield South.
Aside from being “like family”, according to Ahern, as individuals, this year’s leaders have done well throughout the season.
“Nick Minnito and Joe Ahern won their matches at the Geneva tournament and Matt Arsenault got 3rd in that tournament,” Kubski said.
Even through the losses of this season, the leaders of the team still hold their heads high.
“Personally, I think our best match was against Nequa Valley,” Minnito said. “Even though we lost; I think it was reassuring for the team.”
The boys will be competing tomorrow at Plainfield North; the meet starts at 10 a.m.