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The Heart of a Wrestler

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Tuesday February 14, 2012

By Cookie Steponaitis

When it comes to any successful sports program; looking for the secret to success lies in the hearts of the athletes and the training programs that exist at the younger grades, building skills and confidence. When it comes to the VUHS Varsity wrestling team the same adage holds true. While the seniors earn praise, achieve personal milestones and continue to set the pace, the younger wrestlers are crystal clear on why they love the sport and why they stick with it.

Take for example VUHS freshman wrestler Anthony Smith. Anthony first stepped onto a wrestling mat in kindergarten, under the guidance of youth coach Robin Jackman and learned not only how to wrestle, but how to push himself, set goals and achieve when he was just five. “I was a state champion a number of times in elementary school,” shared Anthony, “but that isn’t why I wrestle.  I wrestle because it not only is my favorite sport to participate in and to watch, but because of the intensity involved. You must put forth your personal best each match, or you give your opponent the means to defeat you. It is all about control.” Anthony went on to talk about his most challenging match this season and commented, “My best match this season was against another kid and we were evenly matched. It was the last period and we were both tied. In the last seconds I got a reverse on him and pinned him to win 10-9. Since we were evenly matched, it was a skill based on win and not luck.”

Another freshman wrestler Luke Stinchfield is equally passionate about wrestling and remembers growing up watching his brothers’ wrestle and promising himself not only to match their skills but to set his own goals and accomplish them. “What I love about wrestling is the hard and intense work you have to put in,” shared Luke. “You are in charge of setting the standards for yourself and for deciding your own goals. It toughens you up physically, but also involves some mental toughness as well.” In a recent match, Stinchfield found himself wrestling up a weight class and against a wrestler from St. Johnsbury he had tangled with before and as he went into the second period he was up by 1. “My opponent did a sit out turn and I caught her in a scissors. I have never squeezed so hard before in my life,” remarked Luke. “I remember glancing up at Coach Kittredge and him telling me to do a one arm push up move. I followed through and won the match with a pin.”  Luke went on to speak openly about the role of Coach Kittredge in the lives of all of the team members. Not only crediting him for teaching skills, both Stinchfield and Smith talked openly about how much his advice and respect met in their lives.

Freshman wrestler Erik Eisenhower couldn’t agree more. While he shared his best match story of being against a Colchester wrestler who had pinned him twice before, Erik remarked how their next meeting went quite differently in the first round of the Colchester tournament when he wrestled him for a full six minutes and was able to beat him 15-12. “I wrestle because quite simply, the sport is like no other. It pushes you to limits and demands everything from you. It teaches you mental toughness, dedication and commitment,” reflected Erik. “From the coaches we learn the skills and then it is up to us to decide to what level we take it.”
 Looking for the secret to a successful team and more importantly a program? It is right in front of our eyes, in the actions, words and commitment of the younger members of the team, growing up, testing skills and following in footsteps of siblings and seniors to find that personal place where goals, excellence and commitment come together. In the heart of the athlete and the coach is the combination that so many of us could all benefit from in our own lives. Want to see it in action? Just stop in at a wrestling practice at VUHS like this reporter did and stand quietly unnoticed by the door. It is all visible in front of your eyes and for your ears. The sweat, the determination of the athletes and the voice of the coach addressing the team “Again,” challenged Coach Kittredge. “You know you haven’t given your best, yet.         

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