The first week of the season is awaited with anticipation. The first workout is notoriously difficult as the wrestler bodies are pushed to go from off-season shape to season shape. Their mental fortitude is shaped in that first practice that begins at 6 am with running, conditioning and then non-stop wrestling.
There is rarely wrestling in that first day, just difficult conditioning similar to NAVY SEALS training. However because of the success of the off-season, all wrestlers who came to first day have already been exposed to wrestling. As a result, Patriots hit the ground running.
The first week included a scrimmage and a visit to Kiwanis, where veteran wrestlers met with community members and introduced them to their sport and talked about what the sport meant for them.
The week was made more difficult by a cancelled practice due to a shooting threat as the new mats arrived uncured, which required the wrestlers to roll them out and in at every practice as well as cleaning. This adverse activity could have been a distraction, but it also built teamwork and cohesion.
The week culminated in a 7am hike up Cowle’s Mountain with weighted back packs. At the peak the wrestlers received their first practice and first week pins and captains accepted their gold pins in a new tradition: captain’s ceremony.
Next week Patriots begin to battle as the JV face off La Costa Canyon and Varsity faces off with Torrey Pines and San Marcos High School.
Go Patriots!
Henry-Wrestling 