Feature Photo By: Oscar Perez – Wrestlers practice take downs as one of their beginning drills for the day as observers look out for tips on how to improve their movements.
Wrestling is preparing for another season as winter sports kick off the season. Rangeview wrestlers have been preparing for quite sometime now. Like any other sport, athletes have mentally and physically prepared themselves.
Through the 2016-2017, Deron Solomon & Bryan Fierro managed to compete in CHSAA state wrestling championships. Although both were eliminated in the consolations rounds (a 2nd chance round to compete again before being eliminated) and neither were able to place, the tournament was described as “competitive” and “memorable.”
During the 2017-2018 season, Fierro, Matthew Shriver, and Spencer Ohu managed to perform in the CHSAA state wrestling championships as well. Similarly to the prior season, all competing wrestlers were eliminated during consolation rounds. How can these results help motivate the wrestlers to change for the better? some believe that motivation comes on the first day of the “off-season.”
With former head coach Tim Corby stepping down from head coach position after 18 impressive accomplished years, this means there can be a change in results for the season. Ruben Medina was appointed the new head coach and like any other coach will be expected to continue the success of the past.
Ruben is from a small rural town called Walsenburg in southern Colorado. He wrestled competitively for about 19 years – competing at ages as early as about 10 years old. With over 25 years of coaching: including for the Colorado High School Jr. Olympic teams, Colorado USA wrestling, and state Champions and numerous state placers, he has still continued to manage teaching his impressive work on the mat. Coach Medina also competed in the 1988 Olympic trials, he is easily able to say that he has had ‘great experiences’ when it comes to the sport of wrestling.
“As the new coach there is always an expectation. I feel confident in my assistant coaches, myself and our wrestlers to make this year successful… My job is to enhance their skills and their success will be my success. My hopes are that we will have 3-4 wrestlers move to the State championships come February,” said Medina.
Junior and wrestler Rudy Cortez added, “The team this year will be young but will also be strong. Our new coach is giving us a smarter and stronger mindset. Last year we worked hard but needed a click. This year is the click.”
It is said that wrestling is the hardest/toughest sport in high school by former head coach. Athletes claim that it’ll take a lot of hard work and dedication followed by hours of hard preparations to go on and have the successful season they have been hoping for.
Another junior wrestler for the team, Adam Zourigi mentioned, “we’ve been having practice and we started from the beginning up learning new moves with our new coach and I feel like we’ll be better due to new techniques which will better our chances of being successful.”
The first upcoming competition will be Saturday, December 1st where the team will be competing at the Golden Invitational event in Golden @ 8:30 am.
For more information check up on the wrestling page for Rangeview on Maxpreps.
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