Blackford Wrestling has not had a great record this year, but the season is not over and CIC is coming up.
After asking coach Garringer “How is your season going so far” he replied, “We have a very small (8) but fun and hard-working group of guys in our wrestling room this year.”
Coach Garringer was also asked about the team's record, he responded with, “Our record is NOT very impressive but the desire and effort has been ABSOLUTELY outstanding!”
All the members of the wrestling team, Coach Garringer and the athletes were asked if COVID 19 has at all affected their season. Coach Garringer responded with, “It's been inconvenient at times to deal with. However, we've learned to adapt throughout and adjust when we can.”
The athletes were also asked if COVID has affected their season. Bryan Hernandez-Lopez replied, “COVID has affected the wrestling team because we already are short-handed on people, so when someone gets quarantined on our team it doesn’t help us. We have a hard time winning with very few people.”
Ian Reid responded to the same question with, “Covid stopped me from wrestling most of the last part of the season and half of the CIC.”
Kendric Dishman wrote back, “COVID-19 has affected my season a little bit. Some meets have been canceled, but it hasn’t really mattered to me because early in the season I had a bad concussion, so I have missed a few meets. So COVID hasn’t necessarily affected me, it’s been my concussion.”
Mathew Bailey would like to make it to state. But he also said, “Personally COVID hasn't affected me too much, besides when I wrestled someone who had it and I ended up getting quarantined, even though I was never sick.” Mathew also shared that he is exposed to COVID every day considering both his sister and mother work in the medical field.
The wrestlers were also asked what they thought they needed to improve on. One thing almost all the wrestlers gave for their answers were strength, agility, quickness, and making smarter choices while in a match, and just being a healthier athlete.
The wrestler’s personal goals were different though.
Bryan Hernandez-Lopez: Brian stated that he has a few goals that he wants to accomplish by the end of his high school career, but the one he gave is that, by his senior year, he wants to make it to state and be ranked.
Ian Reid: For Ian’s goal he stated, “My biggest goal is to come back next year weighing 182 all solid muscle.”
Kendric Dishman: Kendric’s goal is to work on how he thinks while he is in a match, so he can make smarter moves.
Mathew Bailey: As a first year wrestler, Mathew’s goal is to work on all aspects of the sport.
In conclusion the wrestling team hasn’t had a great season but they are going to continue to work hard and become the best they can be. Coach Garringer and his team would also like to thank the BRUIN NATION for all of their support.