The Pleasant Valley wrestling team started their season off strong with a 6-4 record. Before their season started, the team went through lots of conditioning and pre-season workouts. These workouts helped them reach the point in their season that they’re in the midst of right now.
In past years, the team has had many seniors to fill important leadership roles. This year, the Spartans have only a few seniors, including Max Obrien, Scott Wendell and Evan Kilstrom, to lead their team for this season. It can be tough having such a young team, but head coach, Jacob Larson, stated, “The boys all put their heart into this sport and they work hard to better themselves every day.”
In order to prepare for meets, the boys have a lot of aspects of their daily routine that they have to take into consideration. Obrien described one of their hardest workouts that they do in order to get into shape: monkey rolls. This high intensity exercise takes place on a wrestling mat and includes the boys jumping over one another and then rolling out of the way so the next person can jump over them.
They have many other high intensity exercises as well as weight lifting that help them shape their body. In practice, the team would practice the same pins over and over again in order to be able to perform them well at meets. Once they get more into the season, the team does sprints and agility exercises to keep improving their athleticism.
Along with conditioning to keep in shape for the season, wrestlers also have to keep very close track of what they eat and drink. Depending on if they are trying to “bulk up” or lose weight, the boys either have to eat more carbs to gain weight or sometimes, eat nothing at all. Overall, Obrien said, “Wrestling is a very physically demanding sport. I’d say it’s the hardest sport in the world because you’re constantly moving and you get sore in places that you never knew you could.”
For every wrestler, their weight could be considered as one of their largest priorities. There are weigh in times, not only at practices, but before meets as well. This was put in place to make sure that athletes don’t wrestle other athletes who are much heavier or lighter than them. Eating, drinking, conditioning and working out in general all impact a wrestler’s daily routine.
PV’s wrestling team has had a great start so far. Coach Rusty Vanwetzinga stated that, “Guys are looking to punch their tickets to state and hopefully get up on that medal stand. The team is working really hard and they’re going have to continue to work hard because wrestling is a grind, especially this time of year.” The student body is looking forward to what the rest of the season brings.
