By JENNY ALPAUGH – Print Managing Editor
Decisions made by the Clarke Central High School athletic department have led to a newly designated room for the wrestling team.
Until this year, the wrestling team has held practice in what is commonly referred to as the “small gym.” Each day, the transfer of mats onto and off of the floor of the gym marked the beginning and end of practice.
Clarke Central High School wrestlers utilize their new wrestling space on Nov. 29. When what was known as the small gym was converted to a weight room, the former weight room was transformed into a wrestling room. Photo by Gabrielle Saupe.
The wrestling team did not have a space exclusively for their use until CCHS Athletic Director Dr. Jon Ward made the decision to convert the small gym into the weight room. It was then that the previous weight room was transformed into a wrestling room.
“(CCHS head wrestling Coach Timothy) Stoudenmire has done an excellent job with our wrestling program. This will give them a closed environment and their own space,” Ward said.
Stoudenmire feels that having a designated room for the wrestlers will be beneficial.
“The biggest thing with the new wrestling room is (that now) we’ve got a place to call our own,” Stoudenmire said. “We can close and open the door at our discretion.”
Athletes for other various sports would often walk through the small gym during wrestling practice. The new mat room has eliminated such distractions.
“There are always people coming in and out during the wrestling season. But in there we can just focus on whatever we’re doing,” CCHS senior Andrew Giegrich said.
Although the mat room is smaller than the gym, Stoudenmire is content with the size and recognizes other positive aspects of the space.
“Our wrestling room, just aesthetically, it’s beautiful. Size-wise I can practice 40 kids in there at one time. I can stand up and work 40 kids at one time and have nobody touch anybody and that’s just a wrestling coach’s dream, it really is,” Stoudenmire said.
Stoudenmire has also observed the wrestlers becoming more conscientious about keeping their new space clean.
“It’s like having your own house. When you live at home with Mom and Dad, you don’t take care of your stuff nearly as well. But when you’ve got your own place that’s yours, be it your house or your own practice room, you develop a lot of pride in it,” Stoudenmire said.
Wrestlers no longer have to spend the extra 15 minutes required to take out and uncover the wrestling mats. The cleanliness of the mats is also easier to maintain.
“We don’t have to roll up the mats at all, we can just keep them out and we can keep them cleaner,” CCHS junior Blake Mustard said. “Sometimes you’ll roll them up and you will still have dirt in them. Now you can just mop them.”
Stoudenmire has repainted the mat room along with many other improvements. All of these changes are being made to maximize the benefits of the room.
“I think (Stoudenmire) did a wonderful job of using that space, He has climbing ropes, he’s going to have conditioning bikes in this room,” CCHS Assistant Wrestling Coach Philip Walter said. “I think it’s a good area that fits the wrestling team. They’re a close knit group of guys with a close small compact room.”
Walter also believes the designation of a space for the wrestling team is an acknowledgment of the program’s achievements. The team placed fifth out of 94 AAAA teams at the state duals in January of 2012, finishing the season with a 40-5 record.
“I think it shows them the support from the school that they were given their own spot. Their success has been seen and noticed, and because of their success, they see the rewards,” Walter said.
