Wrestling can be associated with physical strength, however it can also lay the foundation for long term goals: from accountability to discipline and resilience, according to Team USA. And, students who wrestle learn that they can eventually achieve success by diligently continuing to work on their failures.

Wrestling can provide several benefits, from stress relief to building determination and confidence.For instance, sophomore Kelvin Snell said wrestling has helped him increase his perseverance and determination.

“[Wrestling is] probably the whole reason why I’m constantly more confident as a person,” Snell said. “If something doesn’t work out, [I] just figure it out or try harder … [so] perseverance, [is] [a] skill [that I learned from wrestling].” 

Freshman Jason Burgess also said that during the season, wrestling allowed him to relieve academic stress.

“I mainly [joined wrestling] as an athletic outlet and a social outlet,” Burgess said. 

Burgess said that wrestling also instilled the principles of hard work and persistence in him. 

“At times, practices are really tough … sometimes you’re wondering ‘why am I doing this’ [and] ‘this is so hard’ but if you just keep going, then you’re really glad that you finish it,” Burgess said. “The feeling at the end of practice of knowing that I got through something that was difficult, [and] being able to persevere through [was] memorable to share stories [about].”

A wrestling match that has stayed in junior Brandon Reed’s memories happened during his sophomore year, when he went up against his ‘nemesis,’ who attended Los Gatos High School, he said.

“He had beaten me in a couple matches before in the previous tournaments,” Reed said. “It was quite the match, because this guy was better than me in every way — he was stronger, faster, had better technique and was older.”

Reed saidt his disadvantage did deter him from fighting back, but in a moment of luck, he was able to defeat his opponent. 

“Throughout the entire match, I was basically getting my a** kicked, [and then] it was third period and coach was like, ‘go pick neutral and hit a big move’, so I did,” Reed said.  “The referee blew the whistle [and I] grabbed his arm [and] head [and] whipped them over [my] back. I pinned him and just won it.”

These ideals of perseverance and determination are implemented in every player, and it continues to build every time a match is won, Reed said. 

“It’s like you’re fighting another version of yourself because the other guys meet your same weight, experience and strength,” Reed said. “When you can beat that, it makes you feel pretty good about yourself.”