Ridgeview’s Wrestling Team Brings it to the Mat

Ridgeview’s wrestling season is underway. Coach Aaron Garza and Coach Angelica Llanes both believe their wrestlers will do great this season. Coach Garza has been coaching wrestling for 16 years. When asked about what the hardest part about coaching is he replied, “Making sure all the kids are ready for a match physically and mentally.” Coach Angelica is the new girls’ wrestling coach this year. She has been coaching wrestling for a while now. She described her coaching style as, “easy to talk to, easy going, and adaptable to all kids styles.” 

Sebastian Jara, who is a senior this year, has been wrestling for about four years. The reason he started wrestling was because of his older brother who convinced him to wrestle just like him. “Keeping up and staying disciplined is probably one of the hardest parts about wrestling,” states Jara.

Josiah Powell has been wrestling for about three years now. He started wrestling because he felt that wrestling seemed like something he would really enjoy and when he tried it he really fell in love with it. “The hardest part about wrestling is at first the physical conditioning but then after it’s the mental conditioning,” says Powell. His toughest opponent is going to be someone from highland because he seemed very experienced and beat him really badly last season.

This season is Jianna Chavez’s first season back since her freshman year after suffering an injury. She has been wrestling for six years now and this year will be her last year wrestling in high school. When asked about the hardest part of wrestling she responded with, “Having the right mindset.” She plans on wrestling after high school if she can get a scholarship. 

Yasenia Navejas is a senior this year and she has been wrestling for about seven years. Her biggest motivators are her sisters because they help her a lot with wrestling. When asked about her toughest opponent this year she replied, “Probably this girl from Frontier because I have already wrestled with her before.” 

Coach Garza and Lianes both like to treat their wrestlers depending on why each wrestler is there. The wrestlers that are there to get scholarships, they like to push hard but the wrestlers that are there for conditioning do not push as hard. “Their biggest competition this year is themselves because their competition is their mental ability and if they can overcome it” states Garza