While wrestling may not be known as Garfield’s biggest sport, the ever-expanding team is transitioning into a new era and most importantly looking to cement a strong reputation. “We started off not a super strong team in my freshman year right after COVID” Bennett Wilcynski said, a senior wrestler on the team, “it has grown a lot since then in size and in skill, Garfield wrestling has started to build a real rep for itself.” The team’s ongoing growth and commitment stems from the distinct aspects that wrestling has to offer.
The sport serves as an outlet for its players, “The ability to have that sportsmanship but also the ability to fight my opponents a little bit more, something that was a little more physical!” Wilcynski shared. Junior wrestler Hadley Cascarddon reflected on how this unique opportunity to channel high emotions into a heated match proves to be like nothing else. “I had always done martial arts before, I really enjoyed the contact aspect of the sport but we didn’t get a lot of contact, I thought this [wrestling] may be a good way to take out energy or aggression that I have,” she shared.
Throughout the season, wrestlers and the team as a whole face their fair share of challenges. “Injuries are a big thing, it’s a very physical sport so it’s easy to get hurt,” Wilcynski pointed out. He went on to touch on another obstacle; the team’s ongoing struggle with reputation, “Garfield wrestling has not been particularly skilled in previous years so we’ve got a sort of shotty rep.” In recent years, the team has made it a main priority to strive toward a better reputation.
Cascarddon offered her unique obstacles and challenges faced as a female wrestler, “There are some aspects like we can’t score varsity points which hopefully will change, there’s not a lot of girls so you won’t always get a match.” Cascarddon continued, “A lot of people may be scared off because of how aggressive it is and maybe even the weight class aspect.” she added pertaining to their trouble with recruiting female wrestlers.
The mental aspect of the sport is also apparent to athletes, “We don’t have a ton of sports as one-on-one as wrestling is, I mean you have your team but when you get out on the mat it’s just you and your opponent.” Wilcynski stated. Cascarddon agreed, “A match is six minutes, you need to be able to go 100 percent for all six minutes.” She continued, “It’s really easy to get in your head.”
In a sport so physically and mentally demanding, positive reinforcement amongst athletes is vital. Wilcynski concluded, “It’s easy to build community when you’re all running sprints together …it’s a type of work that you don’t see a whole lot of other places, it fosters a really strong community.” Through active engagement and encouragement, a support system like no other has been established within the wrestling team.
