I didn’t know what to expect as a freshmen coming back from break for two weeks of nothing but wrestling. At first, such a challenge sounds intimidating, but then I realized that all I have to worry about is the basic necessities: eating, sleeping and wrestling. No school, no worries, right? Just fourteen “short” days with my teammates to push through and it would all be over. Such a tough task can only make both you and the team better and make us better it did.
The week began with a team run, well more of sprint-a-thon, that would jump start our conditioning we have been missing out on the previous two weeks of break. Bounding back to the grind we successfully completed 18 workouts and practices, but who was counting them down anyway? A load this size pushes your body to the limits. I came accustomed to daily ice baths and countless stretches to make sure I was taking care of my body properly. Now I wasn’t doing this alone, I had forty of my brothers there with me to go through it with. Every day at lunch and dinner we would discuss the status of our “well-being” and talk about upcoming competitions. We also spent a good amount of time in each other’s dorm rooms (considering we were about the only ones on campus).
All kidding aside we got down to business the past two weeks and it definitely showed on the mat. The toughness in the room is really starting to transfer into our wrestling. I believe we flipped the switch to get after one another like competitors during practice, but as soon as practice is done for the night were back to being buddies. It is not every day you come across a comradery that has such an impact on you. I won’t soon forget the memorable times I have had with this group of guys traveling and competing. Traveling from state to state in buses and vans and staying in hotels with your buddies and teammates is half the fun of the sport. At the end of the day when all is said and done, you are left with what you accomplished and how you can build on it. With such a unique collection of characters, achieving the goals we have set for ourselves should come with ease and I trust that we can continually succeed and build off one another’s strengths and flaws.
Brett Thumm ’16
174 pounder