Wisconsin wrestling is one of the most competitive states for wrestling. Only 8 teams advance to team state, with 128 teams having the same goal to be #1. How is SPASH Wrestling going to make an impact this season? How will they endure the high competition and handle having a young team?
A team is built off of its coach and leaders who I interviewed Reid Gust, SPASH wrestling’s head coach, and Sam Riddle, SPASH’s #120 lbs wrestler. They both have unique opinions about wrestling,
Reid Gust is a head coach of a Division 1 highschool wrestling program and has an underdog opportunity for this coming up wrestling season, it represents what it takes to change a program and their wrestlers. In the interview, I asked him about the challenges SPASH wrestling are facing in the 2024-25 season, and Gust stated, “There’s always the challenge of making sure you have a well rounded line up that can fill up the weights and making sure you’re physically and mentally prepared, which is the change of leadership this team needs.” Coach Gust is the head coach for their wrestling program. Which exemplifies the care of thought put into this team.
But what separates SPASH from the top 10 teams such as Arrowhead and Muskego? Reid Gust was aware of these concerns, looking towards a team motive to give the team determination. The unique challenges every team faces is different as a culture, and moving forward. Therefore, has shown that the past is in the past, and the future is still able to be changed.
Change is a rapid effect in the world of wrestling, it’s a constant chase to climb to the top of the hill and stay climbing no matter how high you get. One second could be all it takes to win, or lose. Sam Riddle, 2nd year wrestler, senior year, has grown and learned from last year what has to be done to help the team change this program. I asked him what strengths will SPASH have? What about weaknesses? Sam claimed, “ There are individual guys that put in work on the off season that will most definitely be leaders, unlike other schools where everyone is on the same level with nobody stepping up. There is weakness, there are some wrestlers who see themselves as arrogant. Which leads on to having a negative mindset from them thinking they know everything, which makes it hard for other people to grow.” What he relates to growth is when teammates are not so full of themselves to act like they are better than others. Which ends up as a negative effect on the team. A team needs leaders to have growth and thriving to get better is an aspect one needs.
How will the team change by season progression? Sam explained “I feel people will be more supportive and open with each other, and showing what we will need to work on, with the new wrestlers we will be more welcome to criticism. Which is easier to do talking to each other to help as a team to overcome challenges and narrow down on those challenges.” This represent opening up to a team as a family. Which positive criticism can allow the team to grow. Not every team does this, but if we take a look at very successful teams this is an aspect a team has with each other.
Arrowhead Vs Muskego was a very good look at how competition must be to succeed in this state of wrestling and what kind of weights must be filled to succeed. Seconds matter, every inch of movement, how quick one is and smart.
“Those weight classes in my opinion are the heart of the Warhawks, however some of the other weights are also filled with solid wrestlers, which makes the team overall what they are,” said Jacob a past Missouri University wrestler from the article Arrowhead vs Muskego Dual Preview. Setting the tone on how a team needs to be to become state worthy. One really good team can reflect on showing another good team as being on a lot lower level than the other. Some factual examples were stated about the team on what it takes to become a state condensing top team by setting examples on strong points and where weak points are. Especially how a coach reflects on his team, as quoted in the article “Especially after conversations with Coach Ferrell who thinks we over ranked his team.”
Wyatt is thinking about wrestling but doesn’t know if he wants to for sure, after reading this article he had a better understanding of the sport. He explained how all the competition reflects how it would be if he joined. That kid became a 3 time state champ in highschool, which shows how wrestling is a mental challenge of climbing that hill.
