Sports

The Wrestling Team

 A look at their season and what their members have to say

By Rose Blackstone Gitlin

Have you ever wondered about what goes on in wrestling? Why do it? Is it dangerous? How does wrestling even work? Should I join the team? This article will provide all the answers you need, about how the wrestling season is going and about wrestling in general! 

The Season

Members of the team include Kenneth Osterhoudt, Joshua Mendez, Apollo Grazul, Lev Fialkoff, Jackson Summnick, Dommnick Messina, Gavin Powers, Blake Powers, Denny Kubart, and Suly Vining. Kenneth (Kenny) Osterhoudt feels that he has had a great season so far having “8 wins and 2 losses.” Gavin Powers has had 3 losses and 5 wins and overall, Joshua feels that “Everyone is improving and getting better every single day. And we have secured many wins against most of the schools we have gone against.”

Is wrestling dangerous?

You would think that fighting with someone would be more dangerous than other sports, but Gavin and Kenny say otherwise, confirming that wrestling is nowhere near as dangerous as football, as there is a soft mat to break falls. However, Joshua claims that wrestling is a very dangerous sport, as it is very physical. And because of how physical it is, injuries are very common in the sport. You may be wondering how he was injured, and it’s because of wrestling.  “I made a split second mistake and now I am in a boot for a month and a half” he says.

How did you get into wrestling?

As Kenny recounts it, “I got into wrestling because in 1st grade there was a flier sent home and I told my parents that I really wanted to do it, so they signed me up.” Joshua has joined and participated in very similar physical sports like wrestling since he was little. He says “year by year, I loved those kinds of sports more and more to the point where they became a passion of mine.”

What does wrestling teach you?

The team has many ideas on what wrestling has taught them. Joshua says “One important thing it's taught me is perseverance. It's taught me to not give up and continue to the end. Something else it's taught me is hard work. You should always try your best and put in 100% in whatever you are doing.”  Gavin says it’s taught him about discipline, drive , determination, personal limits, and self motivation.

What is the hardest thing about wrestling?

Well, most of the team’s answers have something to do with motivation, Gavin saying that the hardest part of wrestling is the determination to push forward and the determination to try to win even though it’s hard. Similarly Kenny added that the hardest part about wrestling is to keep going. A lot of people aren't motivated for example after you lose a match most of the time people get down. “I do too, it's normal,” he says, “when you lose you just need to be motivated that the next time you wrestle you will win.” Joshua notes that “It's all about having a positive mindset on whatever you're doing. It's a lot of hard work and if you are not being positive it's gonna make it really hard.”

What do I need to know if I want to join the team?

Kenny noted that wrestlers need to know before joining the team that it is a commitment. “You are expected to be at the practices everyday and show up at all the meets. We have to put effort in and try hard otherwise you will be unsuccessful”, he explains. Gavin warns that people need to know that the work of the season is challenging, difficult and tiring, but assures that with the struggle you put in it will be worth it.

How does wrestling work?

Joshua explains that the point of wrestling is to get your opponent on their back. You can do that by taking them down with many different techniques or countering their moves to gain control. There is also a complicated point system which can help you win. There are two ways to win, by pin or points. If you take them down, that's 2 points. A reversal (to switch places with your opponents to gain a dominant position) is worth 2 points. An escape (to escape and get to a neutral /even position) is worth 1 point. The 3 main positions are bottom, top and neutral. There are many other rules but these are the main ones. Practice is everyday, Kenny says. There is usually a meet every week, which consists of matches.

Boy Basketball

By Roo Vance

As you may or may not know, we have an amazing  boys basketball team. This team has 16 players. Who are those players you may ask?  They are: Trent Suchowiecki, Jaybriel Lopez, Hjay Sohier, Andres Gutierrez, Vinny Brognano, Michael Canosa, William Hart, Daiden Mumper, Charles Bauer, Myles Lauchaire, Carter Herron, Lukas Waliszewski, Jackson Manley, Paul Tiberia, Dean Leads, Noel Green. 

Now you may want to know who is the amazing coach behind all of this; well her name is Olivia Pacheco. Their  practices are 30 to 45 minutes or 1 hour. Here is a quote from Charles Bauer: “The things that the coach does best for us is the practices, she puts us through intense drills helping us win games”. Talking about winning games, they have won twice against Roundout and Redhook. You may wonder, how do they keep their players having enough energy? Well they chant "Defense, Defense". That is the boys basketball team.

Girls Basketball 

By Roo Vance

New Paltz Middle School has an amazing girls basketball team.  The coach is the one and only Mr. Pizzarello, and he is assisted by Ms. Eckenroth.  Mr. Pizzarello has been teaching for 26 years and coaching for 25 years. “I coach because I love to teach sports to kids. Especially basketball!” he says.

I asked him about how much of a chance we have of winning our games. He told me, “We have a great chance of having a lot of wins this year. The girls basketball team is very skilled and athletic. They also don't like to lose!” When I asked who our best players are, he said,  “Some of my best players are Ava Dones, Heather Culp, Izzy Schroeder, Zoe Poller, and Sophia Morales”.

If you have been to some of their games, you might know their chants. If you don’t know, you will now!  Mr. Pizzarello says, “The girls like to clap, and after they yell New Paltz they yell ‘whooooo!’”.

If you are interested in playing next year for the New Paltz Middle School basketball team or have any  questions, please email <mpizzarello@newpaltz.k12.ny.us>