Maffeo’s Life On and Off the Mat 

For Junior Richie Maffeo, a varsity wrestler here at NHS, wrestling is not only about the physical aspect, but the bonding aspect as well.

In addition to wrestling, Maffeo is also a percussionist in the Norwood High School marching band; “Marching Band, wrestling, that’s my life.”

Maffeo joined wrestling during his freshman year, “I started doing it because both of my brothers were doing it. Got to love it and stuck with it.” 

Although enjoying high school wrestling, he expressed that it’s hard to tell if he’ll try wrestling after graduating but enthusiastically added: “I’ll give it a shot, definitely.” 

Wrestling has definitely impacted Maffeo’s life. “I’m a different person because of wrestling” he acknowledged, adding that he has become more confident. “It takes a lot of confidence to step on the mat; it’s just you in that moment.” Maffeo thoughtfully expressed that he’s definitely progressed since his first year. He shared, “my first year I don’t think I ever won a match.”

Although Maffeo enjoys wrestling, there are challenges that come with most sports. As for wrestling Maffeo distinctly points out weight class. “Keeping your weight because you have to stay in your weight class and you can’t go over that weight- then you can’t wrestle” and “constantly thinking I can’t eat- not that you can’t eat, but you have to moderate what you do eat.” Using slight hand motions to emphasize this difficulty, he continued. “Keeping off the weight to fit to your class is definitely the hardest part,” he said as that decides where you stand for a meet.

Despite some difficulties in wrestling, the sport as a whole, as well as the team, is very bonded. Maffeo clarified, “wrestling, it’s a lot of fun, you really bond. The people you practice with, you really connect with them, you are both trying your hardest” and constantly trying your all. “You really connect with all the wrestlers, not just your own team.”

“It’s hard to put into words, [but] you feel good. It’s constant exercise, you get in great shape, it’s a stress reliever,” Maffeo explained. 

Occasionally, some wrestlers change personality wise while in practice versus outside of practice, but Maffeo expressed that he believes that he doesn’t change much in practice from what he’s like outside of practice, although he added, “If I’m actually wrestling someone, yes, but I’m mostly the same person.”

First-year wrestler, and teammate, Jack Brady enthusiastically declared, “Me and Richie are like Ingram and Kamara [former New Orleans Saints]; Best friends. Richie is very talented.”