Wrestling continues league competition
Nina CornejoStaff WriterWrestling is a sport heavily dependent upon both physical and mental preparation. Wrestlers spend much time overcoming intimidation and focusing on the present. Samo’s wrestlers are no exception to this commonly known characterization.“It’s the thought more than the actual match itself,” Maddy Tung (’15) said.The intimidation that comes from wrestling is not a result of the fear of getting thrown on one’s back, but rather the fact that despite excessive training, one can never be 100 percent prepared for any given match. Not knowing one’s opponent beforehand keeps a wrestler ignorant to certain important facts about his or her opponent: his or her height, strength and capability. Wrestling is a very tactical sport that requires the ability to strategize and focus. It is a battle between only two people in which there is no opportunity to rely upon other teammates. Wrestling becomes a process of controlling pre-duel nerves, remaining calm and executing properly.“Being challenged and controlled by someone else’s will is something that as a human, we don’t like,” coach Mark Black said.However, controlling the opponent’s movement is the main concept of wrestling. This induces intimidation, pushes the mind to stay focused and prevents anxiety from tampering with concentration.“When I get to the match I get nervous,” Tung said. “So I get my head back in the game.”Once Tung makes weight, she gets her mind steeled on the upcoming match. It isn’t until she is actually wrestling that the nerves begin to fade away.“If it’s a good match, all the mental stress goes away,” Tung said. “ It’s completely reflexes.”Pre-match anxiety can be dangerous to a wrestler’s performance.“There is no easier way to lose than getting inside your own head and beating yourself up before you start the match,” co-captain Jager Metz (’13) said.The season comes to a close in late February. Though it has been a struggle with such a young team, they have improved both as a group and as individuals throughout the season.“I can definitely see the improvement in myself,” Tung said. “We’re all trying really hard.”With only three matches and two tournaments in January, a good amount of the matches and tournaments are happening towards the end of the team’s season. The team is modifying practices and watching their nutrition and weight more closely than they already do to prepare for Ocean League finals.Since winter break, the team has had two tournaments, one in San Fernando, and the other in West Covina. The team had a game against Torrance as well. Their final game is against Beverly, and the very next day they begin league finals. Co-captain Spencer Gordon (’13) pinned both of his wins in San Fernando and West Covina. At West Covina he had his competitor pinned in 14 seconds.League finals take place at Torrance, and girl’s California Interscholastic Federation Southern Sectionals are at Rancho Verde High School and girls’ State Finals are at Lemoor High School.The boys’ CIF Finals are at Moorpark High School, CIF Masters are at Temecula High School, and CIF State Finals are at Bakersfield.