Learning from  mistakes and continuing to seek improvement in one’s performance are huge factors in competitive sports.  For the wrestling team, being able to come together under a new full-time coach, Mason Goldbach, has created improvement this season with ten more wins than last year.  Senior captains, Billy Liptrot and Garrison Roberts, have helped to uplift the team and focus on having a positive season.  Along with the captains, some freshman and newcomers have proved themselves to the rest of the team and shown they too can be a big factor in the team’s success.

“I believe as a team we have improved a lot,” said Liptrot. “Especially from the freshman, we’ve been getting a lot more team matches rather than individual tournaments.”

For freshmen and newcomers, having a full time coach really helps them become acclimated with the team and the sport itself.  In past seasons the wrestling team has had to struggle with training without a full time coach. This has made it difficult for the team to come together and learn how to wrestle along with building chemistry with one another.

“Having a full time coach has helped me learn what we’re going to do and how to wrestle correctly as a whole team rather than individually,” said junior Allen Widdifield.

Motivation is another key for success and without it, one may feel like they are competing for nothing. Captains of a sports team are responsible for preparing and getting the team hyped up for the match. If the captains aren’t fulfilling their role as a captain in leading the team, then they need to reconsider their leadership role.

“It’s important to lead by example when motivating the team because if I perform positively then my teammates can emulate what I do while training,” said Roberts. “This way my teammates can learn from their mistakes and perfect their moves in matches and tournaments.”

At the beginning of every season, every team has a big goal in mind.  For the wrestling team they’re shooting for the state championship and that goal is not too far out of reach.

“I believe if the team trains hard and continues to compete strongly in competitions, we will be prepared for states and have a chance to make a run to the championship,” said Liptrot.