During the winter sports season at Air Academy High School, wrestling is a popular sport where students from different grade levels, weight groups, and who are of different ages, compete against each other involving grappling-type techniques. The wrestling team at AAHS practices every day after school from 3:30 to 5:30 pm unless there is a dual in which case then it may run longer.

Practices use specific techniques to have longer physical and mental endurance. In wrestling, learning to persevere is very important and critical. This AAHS team has become a family of wrestlers who strive to become stronger, supportive of each other, and a better group of wrestlers each and every practice and dual. 

“Wrestling is a sport where you have to have long physical and mental endurance in order to win against your opponent. During practices, there are barely any breaks to increase the wrestler’s endurance. They all run, do exercises, conditioning, and weight lifting which are beneficial to becoming stronger and better wrestlers,” sophomore Talia Dozier explained.

The exercises that are used in wrestling include lots of running. Running increases longer physical and mental endurance so that a wrestler is able to persevere when being taken down by an opponent. Running every practice strengthens those skills and the conditioning increases a wrestler’s strength.  Wrestling requires skills such as long endurance, strength, motion, and level change. 

“Coach makes us run a lot in practice,” sophomore Gabriel Dillmeth commented. 

The wrestling team at AAHS was successful in a dual on Wednesday, January 26th, 2022. This night fortunately was also a senior night where AAHS took home a big win. This night was a joyful time where seniors were congratulated with six roses with their parents and friends by their side, and an applaud from the coaches and the many families who support the wrestling team. 

Not only is wrestling about strength and exercise but hard work also plays a very important role as well. By working hard on skills, attending the practices, and putting the best effort into the matches, success is often earned no matter the circumstances. Athletes of all sports, but especially wrestling master this courageous mindset.

This team, especially, performs those skills extremely well. During the duals, many see that in times of discouragement these young boys are able to persevere and perform at their very best. Wrestling is a difficult sport and the stances and movements are hard to master but with tenacity, any wrestler is able to accomplish their goal. 

The sport of wrestling requires being able to continue to do the best despite being placed in a headlock position or forcibly thrown onto the ground or suffering a loss, each wrestler on the AAHS team has shown to persevere through it all in order to achieve their goals.

The main goals of this team are to be able to win their duals and have the opportunity to compete at the state competition. All these goals are possible because when there is support from teammates, frequent displays of good sportsmanship, practice, and good work ethic a successful wrestling team is able to thrive.