As the winter season starts to surprisingly heat up, the Ridgeview Wrestling program has been preparing for a fight, working hard and staying strong to make it as far as possible this season. With the girls’ wrestling team led by Coach Angelica Llanes and the boys’ wrestling team commanded by Coach Ernest Marquez, both squads are showing excitement and are determined to face the challenges ahead. The coaches have emphasized the importance of toning every aspect of the wrestlers’ skills, leaving no room for error.
Both teams are doing whatever it takes to improve, focusing on technique, strength, and endurance. “Overall, we are working on technique every day to get better in a technical aspect,” coach Marquez explained. This approach seems to be paying off, as the athletes are not only striving for individual success but are also setting lofty goals for the season. Every wrestler is aiming to push themselves past their limits and contribute to the success of the team.
An unexpected but motivating factor for many of the boys’ wrestlers this year has been their shared experience with football. Wrestlers like Landen Rivera have expressed how his commitment to wrestling is helping them stay conditioned for the next football season. Even though he may not have as many goals as the other students there for wrestling, just wanting to stay conditioned, that doesn’t mean he isn’t putting in effort, or not trying his very best. “I like being pushed to where I can’t go anymore, and then once I reach that point, I start pushing myself even more, and that causes me to have more fun,” Rivera said, explaining what one of his motivations was for wrestling, besides football conditioning, of course. It’s clear that the wrestling season is being seen not only as an opportunity to excel in the sport itself, but also as a way for some athletes to stay active and conditioned after their sports season ended.
This crossover between wrestling and football is unforeseen, but Rivera is still determined than ever to give their best effort on the mat. “I would say that I’m going at my best. Once I get to the floor, I try even harder, but I’ll lose my energy faster once I get on the floor.” Rivera remarked. It’s clear that he, along with the entire team, are looking to achieve great things this season.
Of course, the girls’ wrestling team at Ridgeview continues to make progress of their own. Under the guidance of coach Llanes, the team is filled with both experienced athletes and rookies, each bringing their own unique skill set and determination. They seem to be working quite hard, but that won’t make them falter! Veteran wrestlers like Emily Ozuna expressed how it was like a love-hate relationship, where the work was sometimes overwhelming, but wrestling as a whole was fun for her. Ozuna even stated, “It’s a lot. We have a lot of running and a lot of.. A lot of conditioning, but it’s worth it.” and also, “I hate it at times.. ‘Cause it’s a lot of work.. But it’s pretty fun.” Even if it may be tough sometimes, the team still pushes forward using perseverance, and ready to take on whatever comes their way.
As the Ridgeview wrestling programs prepare for their season, their motivation and commitment is showing like bright colors. With a flurry of hard work and different motivations, both the girls’ and boys’ team is primed to go as far as they can this season. The Ridgeview wrestling program is ready for the challenge, and they are more than ready to give it their all.
