Students learn the grit and grind of wrestling (3/10)

By Tanzania Coleman and Nancy Nguyen

Mar. 19, 2010

Juniors Nancy Nguyen and Tanzania Coleman get into their wrestling stances during "Wrestlers for a Day" on Feb. 25. The two experienced the grueling practice and hard work the wrestling team puts in. Jeremy Gaines
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Student-for-a-day? Principal-for-a-day? No. Try wrestler-for-a-day.

Our first day shadowing the training of Lowell wrestlers proved to be extremely challenging despite coming from a Dragon Boat and Girls’ Drill Team background.

We started with a lap around the soccer field, track field and basketball courts then up and down the science wing hill. We had underestimated the grueling practice wrestlers had to go through. Our low expectations were soon shattered after only a third of what the Lowell "Warriors" had planned, and that wasn't the end of the day’s conditioning session.

After running three laps, we sprinted back and forth across the volleyball courts. Then, the coaches topped it off with a delightful conclusion to our warm ups: suicide sprints up the science wing drive! We collapsed on the side of the field while the team suffered as they sprinted up the road. Practices this intense were rare and we were lucky enough to take part in the very last one of the season.

After running outside around the fields, we transitioned to the mats inside the cafeteria. During the second half of practice, we jogged and shuffled around the mats, which lead into tumbling. By the end of practice, we attempted to pin each other down, which is easier said than done. You can bet the next day every step up the stairs felt like a punch in the thigh.

By the end of practice, we learned that football and wrestling are closely related in rigor and training techniques, although wrestling involves more close contact and football revolves more around a team effort. “Both sports have qualities that compliment each other,” senior wrestler and football linebacker Aris Chalini said. An example is the “double leg” in wrestling which is the equivalent of the football tackle. “They are both very physical sports that involve aggression, speed and mental toughness,” Chalini said.

Football coaches Al Gamboa and Danny Chan encouraged their team to join wrestling so the players could strengthen up before football season starts. “I regret not joining wrestling,” senior football fullback Artur Galustyan said. “I wanted to be part of the team, that's why I always went to watch the matches.”

At the AAA All-City Wrestling Championship, we stepped into the SOTA gymnasium to the intense roaring of the Galileo Lions. “That used to intimidate us,” Wrestling head coach Colin Ikeda said. “We aren't afraid anymore.”

Although the wrestlers were required to be at the gym at 6:30 a.m. for weigh-ins, the All-City Championship seemed like the “All-Day” Championship, as the matches did not commence until 10 a.m. There were three matches running simultaneously, which created a chaotic atmosphere throughout the day. Coaches from every school were screaming at the wrestlers.

After most of the wrestlers were eliminated, only the ones fighting for first place remained, staying warmed up by lightly jogging around the gymnasium and eventually charging towards the central mat. In the finals, only one match was held at a time, creating a very intense atmosphere. Everyone’s attention was focused on the two wrestlers, battling it out in the finale for first place.

After all the excitement, wrestling seniors Daniel Sorkin, Aris Chalini and Sam Berry snatched their titles of first place in the 152, 171 and 189 weight class respectively. This marked the end of the wrestling season, although they would be conditioning together the following week, in preparation for the State Championships that took place from March 4 to March 7.

After an entire day of wrestling matches and practicing with the hard-working Cardinals, we gained a great amount of respect for the wrestling team. It turned out to be mutual. In the beginning, we had been uncertain about how the team would respond to us joining the practices, but afterwards we were glad to hear positive feedback. “It was brave and I admired the courage,” Chalini said. “I'm glad you came out and watched because not a lot of people know about wrestling. More people should join, it's a very rewarding sport.”