Gilmore's Take: A Seasons Reflection to Build our Future

            Now that the season is officially over and it seems like all of the sudden my days have gotten longer, I have found time to reflect over our season.  Looking back over the last 12 months, I can't help but smile on the progress we have made as a team.  As an outsider looking in, a 2-6 dual meet record and only advancing 1 competitor out of sectionals may not seem like a very great accomplishment.  But, if you step back and breakdown the matches you will see that we were competitive in every match we wrestled.  We went from a team that got blown out in most duals and tournaments last year to a team that was in every match this year.  As a whole team we improved.  We were more physical, we were not so one dimensional,  we learned to grind out a match in the third period. Simply, we learned how to compete.  This was a direct result of a good off-season and working hard in the practice room during season.

      However, as good as a I feel about our team's progress, when I look back at our individual goals we fell short on the majority. How can the team outlook be so good and the individual outlook leave you wanting more?   As coaches, we try to set the team up for success.  We run challenging practices. We go to off-season tournaments. We go to camps.  We run open mats. We offer lifting.  We strive and desire to make our team good and even great. But the problem is, to win at the next level it needs to fall on the shoulders of individual competitors.  There are no guarantees in wrestling.  Just because you do everything right, and everything your coaches ask, you still might lose a match you should have won.  You just have to hope that match doesn't end your season.

So what's the difference?  How can Noah Baughman go from not qualifying to states as a freshman to winning the state tournament as a sophomore?  How can Andrew Coghill go from not qualifying for districts as a junior to being a state qualifier as a senior?  What's the difference?  Why did so many of our guys do exactly what we asked of them this off-season and regular season and they still came up short on their individual goals. ( As a side note: just because they did not reach their goals doesn't mean they didn't make progress and have a successful season. By all means we had a great season and I couldn't be more proud of all of our guys.) With that being said, what is the difference? How can some people make such giant strides and break through those barriers and while others seemed to still fall short? The difference is simple; the wrestlers who breaks through and wins those all important matches are the ones who made the choice. The choice to be better than the rest.  It all starts with a choice.  The top level wrestler chooses to be at that level.  The average and below average wrestler will work hard during season.  The good wrestler will work hard during the season and do whatever the coaches ask in the off-season.  To be the top level wrestlers you need to do more.  This is where the individual part of our sport comes into play.  Those top level wrestlers are not only doing their team’s offseason workouts and matches they are doing it on their own as well.  They are going to open mats at other schools, competing with other teams.  They are going to the Battlezone, Burnett's Barn and Jordan's Camp.  They building relationships with other coaches and wrestlers from other teams and learning from them.  They are self driven.  They want the team to be successful, but they are driven to be a great individual.  As you sit and ponder your next goals, remember...being a state placer or a state champ does not just happen, it is a choice. Every wrestler makes a choice on what type of wrestler they are going to be.  Everyone hopes to be a state champ, but 95% of wrestlers choose not to be.  Right now is the time to make your choice for next year.  Do you want to be average?  Do you want to be good, or do you want to be remembered?