With the Boys’ wrestling season coming close to the end, the Boys’ wrestling team continues to move forward throughout home and away matches during the fall & winter season, reflecting on how they improved from challenges and the new coaching staff to start the season and now reaching the end point of it.
Senior varsity wrestler Braden Baltazar is competing in the 150-pound weight class and feels proud of how his season is going so far, especially with the new coaching staff and the ideology they brought in even though it was challenging with the new faces. “The only challenge I really had was getting used to the new coaches as he does everything different,” Baltazar said,
“We use the weight room now more often compared to last year’s season, which I think is really good because last year we would only focus on cardio, then muscle building, which we now have both.”
Reflecting on his first match of the season, he expressed, “I wasn’t nervous since we had tournaments before the season and my first match. It really helped prepare the team as a whole. Sadly, my first match was a little disappointing because I was brought down to JV for the match.” With these pre-matches tournaments it prepares for upcoming opponents and in-season matches which develops and challenges the team to have significant improvements as the season progresses with not only aggressiveness and stamina, but mentality.
Dylan Rodriguez, a fellow senior in the 150-pound weight class, also reflected on his first match. “I ended up winning, and I honestly felt pretty confident even though it was my first ever match. I went in confident and aggressive, which helped me come out with a win.” With the outcome of his matches, he felt that the support of his teammates helped his success.
“I can give a lot of credit to all my teammates because they were already a team and took me in with open arms. So I give a lot of credit to them, and I hope we keep getting better and better together.”
A newcomer wrestler, Ramon Gonzalez, who wrestles in the heavyweight class, won his first match despite losing later matches. Although the outcome of his season overall wasn’t what he expected. He was still thankful for the coaching staff and their guidance that they gave.
“I really like the coaching staff and the mentality they brought with them. They helped me throughout the season and my matches. But what I really like is the commitment that the staff wants to see out of each other.”
Head Coach Michael Lopez is really proud of how his wrestling team has come together as a whole and improved with each practice. “Wrestling is just like the real world. It can prepare them for their future and life.”
Coach Mike, in addition, believes multiple wrestlers have a chance to qualify for CIF. “They just need to show heart, grit, and hard work for that to happen.”
As the Boy’s wrestlers continue to battle on the mat, their mentality and team moves forward from their matches as they develop and improve with each practice, each tournament, and each match they have. With this belief and grit, Baltazar, Rodriguez, and Gonzalez all share the belief that they will qualify for CIF this season.
