As the wrestling team continues to undergo rigorous preparation for the upcoming season, wrestlers are ready for the big return after the delayed start last year due to COVID.
“I think we have a great chance to get a lot of kids to regionals this year and that’s the biggest thing. Getting to a full season after last year with COVID we had a real shortened season,” wrestling coach Jeff Knight said. “I’m just looking forward to them improving everyday and peak in February and make it to regionals.”
This year the wrestling team will compete in tournaments instead of only duals, meaning now they’ll be competing against more people and increasing their number of matches.
Coach Knight expects his team to rise to the challenge while continuing to go all out, leaving everything on the mat and ultimately maximizing their chances of making it to regionals.
“The biggest thing is that we’re going to have to be really physical,” Knight said. “Friendswood has the top teams, boys and girls, so they have a lot of returners and we’re going to have to be able to match-up with them and get faster, stronger and just continue to work on our technique.”
Defending 215-pound state champion Lexi Shannon is getting physically and mentally prepared for the start of her senior season. She hopes to repeat at state and also hopes a few of her teammates join her at the state championships.
“They’re going to have to learn the moves and really how to wrestle and they’re also going to have to put in the work,” Shannon said. “They’re going to have to have a goal because this sport isn’t one where you can just go in and not have a vision of where you want to be, so they need to know what they want to get out of it.”
That vision is key, according to Knight.
“Wrestling is a tough sport and a lot of it is mental,” Knight said. “If you believe you can do it then that’s the biggest part.”