By: Ethan Huang, staff writer
Over the last 6 years, the Galileo wrestling team has taken home 4 All city trophies, with a huge team of strong and talented wrestlers and a great coaching staff. As they return from over a year break due to the pandemic, this year’s team doesn’t look quite the same; a number former wrestlers have graduated, cutting down this year’s team in half, as well as adding a number of new faces lacking prior experience.
This year’s team consists of 5 juniors, 4 seniors and 1 sophomore, all who are dedicated and work hard, showing up to practice everyday. Although being first timers in such a technique based sport, the coaches still expect everyone to give it their all and win their matches.
Coach Ronald G, one of the 2 head coaches, believes that the team can still take home the All City trophy for 2 reasons. First, he believes that every wrestler on the team knows the fundamentals of wrestling, and second, he knows the pandemic has not only affected Galileo, but every other team as well. He says, “Every school in the city is rebuilding their teams, that’s the result of the COVID pandemic, All-City is up for grabs right now and whoever wants it more is going to win.”
Unfortunately for the team, the COVID has continued to affect this year’s season as well, cutting down half of the season, as a number of matches against other schools have been canceled. Typically the regular season consists of 6 dual meets between other schools in the district. However, this season only four meets were scheduled throughout the season, two being canceled or forfeited due to COVID scares.
For those wrestlers who are returning for their senior season, the shortened season has been a tough blow, but one that wrestling has helped prepare them for. Team captain, senior Joseph T. believes, “I feel like you just have to roll with the punches you know, because of the whole COVID situation, there isn’t much of another option than just going with the flow.”
On the other hand, returning senior Virgilio C. says, “The season being so short shows how serious the whole COVID situation is, with the whole sport pretty much being shut down for half of the season. I was honestly unmotivated this year and wanted to quit wrestling but wrestling is all about hardships and perseverance.”
