As the winter months roll in, the wrestling team commences for a new season. Wrestling is both an extremely competitive and physically demanding sport, thus the pre-season starts shortly after one wrestling season has ended.
Wrestling requires an extreme amount of endurance and strength, but most importantly, good technique. A successful wrestler is composed of a strong work ethic. To improve their skills in the sport, they must practice constantly and never give up on themselves no matter how tiring the sport becomes.
“My goal is that our team makes it three in a row and picks up a few wins in the playoffs,” Coach Zeke Stroupe said. “Ultimately, I would love to push for the WPIAL semifinals, which would mean our team would be heading to states”
Both coaches and members of the team prepare themselves for the goals that they have for the season. As they are two-year section champions, the team prepares themselves to continue on the streak.
The team notices the seniors that will be competing as their last year on the Freedom wrestling team: Gavyn McCray (12), Camden Bruce (12), and first-year wrestler Elias Boyd (12).
“I am doing a lot of conditioning and wresting other newer kids that have not done it [wrestling] as long as I have either,” Boyd said. “I am just trying new things, that is the main reason I wanted to wrestle this year, just to try something new.”
The team has gained a plethora of new members this season, both upcoming freshmen and students who were just simply interested in the sport. New wrestlers, and old, prepare for the difficult season ahead of them. With many hours of practice and preparation spent in the mat room,
“My goal as the 24-25 wrestling season starts is to attend at least a total of two club practices along with our five team practices during the week,” Brayden Reynolds (10) said. “I also plan on accomplishing a WPIAL and regional metal, and possibly a state metal as well.”
Although the team lost a key senior from last year, Ryan Kredel, they are working hard to hone their skills and adapt to the new season.
“Individually, I expect some big jumps from a lot of our returning wrestlers,” Stroupe said. “I would like to see four to six wrestlers make regionals and some breakthrough to individual states.”
The team prepares for their first invitational, the Chartiers-Houston Invitational, which will occur from Friday, Dec. 6 to Saturday, Dec 7 at Chartiers-Houston High School. The following week they will compete in their first one-on-one match against Mount Pleasant on Dec. 11 at 7:00 p.m., located at Mount Pleasant High School.
“I would like to win WPIALS as a team, and then qualify for states as a team as well,” McCray said. “Then I would like to also qualify for states as an individual.”
The team prepares for a long and strenuous, but also rewarding season. With practices among practices, the team hopes for a successful year.