Wrestling Team Doubles in Size

Charles Robbins l Sports Editor

With the new winter sports season, the wrestling program has seen the addition of several new players contributing to the team and a 50% growth in size compared to last year.

The team has drastically increased in size from 10 people last year to 15 this year, and they are feeling optimistic for the future of the program.

“We are absolutely heading in the right direction,” said second-year head coach Cameron Eisenhower. “We got 30 kids in the junior high program which is huge. Last year, there were less than 15. Our elementary numbers are in the 60s right now. It’s really just a matter of climbing that mountain and getting more kids to stick with the program.”

The wrestling program has never attained consistent success like other programs at Cedar Crest. There have been some outstanding individual wrestlers, but the program as a whole has never won any team titles.

Eisenhower wants to change that and plans to grow the program by helping people understand the positives they can take away from the sport. He believes life-lessons can be gained from wrestling and that it can benefit everybody.

“Wrestling prepares you so much in life, and for more than just being an athlete,” said Eisenhower. “It creates self-dedication and self-motivation that you’re gonna take with you to college, to prepare you for your schoolwork, and to prepare yourself for your job and career down the road.”

On the middle school team, there are several highly rated prospects that will bring success to the program when they get to high school according to members of the wrestling team.

“I think people finally realize that the sport is enjoyable and that you can get a lot out of it,” said junior Lucas Garret, when asked about why the program has grown.

Garrett has been one of the most successful wrestlers in the school’s program. He has a record of _ and _ for the year and hopes to qualify for the individual district tournament this year for the first time.

“I think the wrestling program is headed in a great direction,” said Garrett.

Garret emphasized the fact that the program has doubled in size and discussed the talent on the middle school team. The high school team is sitting at 0-4 at the time of publishing.

Based off of record alone, the team does not seem to have improved. However, some individuals are having successful seasons. Freshman Landon Klein, is averaging ___ per match.

“My goal is to make it to Districts and maybe further in my freshman year,” said Klein.

Whether or not the Falcon wrestling team improves from last year’s record is still up in the air, but the fact that the program’s numbers are the highest they have been in years is not.

This seems to prove Eisenhower’s point that the program is on the right track.

“I think everyone can benefit from (wrestling),” said Eisenhower. “In a match, you have yourself to rely on and no one else. It teaches you mental toughness and how to push through when the going gets tough.”