I didn’t know what to expect going into my first pre-season as a senior, since I played football the past few years. However, I did know one thing. I was going to work to my highest ability and push my teammates along with me. I believe that was accomplished through everyone’s hard work and desire to get better. I truly believe in the idea that the harder one works, the harder it is for one to surrender. I think this concept directly correlates with the sport of wrestling. If everyone works as hard as they can every time they lace up to train, they would not like to surrender or lose a single match. Seeing everyone on the team from freshmen to upperclassmen work as hard as they did in the pre season, I believe no one will surrender during their time on the mat.
With that being said, it seems to me that this team is hungry to take the mat and not look back. However, throughout the season in order to obtain our team goals we have to keep this high intensity throughout the entire season and not become complacent. Once this team finds its rhythm and realizes its capabilities—while at the same time not becoming satisfied for just mediocre—the sky will be the limit.
I feel as though my job as a captain on this team is to make sure everyone is on the same page and ensure that when anyone of us steps on the mat, it’s going to be war. I want this team to bring a sense of wreckless-abandonment to the mat. I realize that one of the deciding factors on how far I will go individually depends on how the coaches and my teammates will push me. With that, I know it comes back to how I am going to push these new-comers. If I show them I truly care and that I’m there for them, I know I could rely on them to motivate me when I might need it. Col. Jeff Cooper stated, “The fear of sporting failure is worse than the fear of death,” which I hope everyone on this team realizes and understands before I graduate.
Austin O’Neal
Senior Captain
197 lbs.