Bulldogs prepare for wrestling season
Senior Dalton Gualco wrestling his opponent at the Tracy vs. West match last year.
November 22, 2013
Tracy High’s new wrestling head coach Jonathan Blackwell has high expectations for the team. With practices and conditioning just starting, the coaches hope to watch the wrestlers improve throughout the year.
“I am looking forward to the continued development of our wrestlers,” Blackwell said. “I am happy to see young men take the very difficult practices seriously.”
Having practice every day for two and a half hours, the wrestlers are working hard to get in shape for the upcoming season.
“The sport itself is very rewarding,” freshman Dave Money said. “I have been wrestling for five years before high school, and I really enjoy it.”
Some of the veterans inspired many new wrestlers to join the team this year.
“I look up to the other guys,” senior Luke Johnson said. “It is my senior year and I have always wanted to try something new.”
Many upperclassmen wrestlers are looking forward to being strong role models for the lowerclassmen.
“It feels good to teach the younger kids what I have learned throughout the years,” senior Dalton Gualco said.
Blackwell hopes to accomplish immense goals for his wrestlers this year, leading them to win in the bigger tournaments.
“Our primary goals are unchanged, to make better adult men of the young men we are coaching,” Blackwell said. “In the short term, it is to get everyone ready for league duals in January and the league tournament in February.”
Each wrestler has already planned out their goals are and what they hope to accomplish.
“The main thing I want is to be able to place within one of the top brackets,” senior Luke Johnson said, “but just making a spot on varsity will be very rewarding.”
With experience, Money strives to pursue bigger goals.
“Hopefully, I will end up making it to state,” Money said. “I just want to do the best I can.”
Four-year wrestler, Gualco, plans to work as hard as he can within the next couple months.
“I want to wrestle heavier kids at first, so I get better experience,” Gualco said. “Once the league tournament comes around, I’ll be cutting weight so I can wrestle lighter kids and, hopefully, do better in the tournament.”
