Throughout the summer and into the 2014-15 wrestling season, the Weight Room has housed conditioning wrestlers. With the work of the wrestlers in this gym, Stoudenmire feels the team has a shot to place first at the 2015-16 state tournament. “Every year I’ve ever coached I plan to finish first,” Stoudenmire said.
By JOHANNA HALL – Print Sports Editor
The 2014-15 wrestling team placed seventh at the state tournament. However, head wrestling coach Timothy Stoudenmire believes the 2015-16 team can place first.
In the 2014-15 state tournament, the wrestling team placed seventh. However, head wrestling coach Timothy Stoudenmire had hoped to place in the top six.
“We weren’t good enough, plain and simple. There were other teams that were better than us,” Stoudenmire said.
However, Stoudenmire believes that the team this year has the potential to go farther than teams in years past.
“I plan to finish first every year,” Stoudenmire said. “I feel like we have a shot.”
In order to achieve this goal, the wrestlers attended a wrestling camp over the summer to develop their technique.
“The rate that we’re progressing is faster than normal,” Stoudenmire said. “The amount of intensity and our conditioning and strength training is higher”
According to varsity wrestler Zach Chastain, a junior, the wrestling program conditions young athletes into shape through training.
“I’m definitely in better shape than I was when I started for wrestling last year,” Chastain said.
With the addition of the past junior varsity wrestlers onto varsity, Stoudenmire feels the team is starting at a higher level than in years past.
“A lot of (the wrestlers) are returning with experience in the bag and we’re not having to spend as much time doing a lot of things that we normally do to just get us prepared,” Stoudenmire said.
According to Chastain, wrestling can be difficult for anyone who is not accustomed to it.
“Wrestling is a very unique sport. You have to know what you’re doing beforehand,” Chastain said.
Stoudenmire believes that with the experience of the freshmen class, the future of the wrestling program is bright.
“My freshmen class is as advanced as I’ve ever had,” Stoudenmire said. “We’re not having to start over on the first page of the book every day, we’re actually moving forward at a faster rate.”
