Hitting the Mat

As the timer counts down toward zero, the buzzer rings, and the final point is scored during the match—the feeling of victory rushes through the crowd.

With wrestling season beginning, senior Emerson Claeys, who wrestles for Pomona High School, is working vigorously to prepare.

“I needed a different sport other than football, and I’ve been doing wrestling for about 10 years,” Claeys mentioned.

To prepare for the season, a lot of effort must be put into getting in shape for practices, tournaments, and more.

“I do spend a ton of time on conditioning and getting lean. The way to get back into wrestling shape is difficult,” Claeys stated.

With the new season beginning, many injuries can also arise. These injuries can impact wrestlers differently.

“I’ve had a lot of injuries as a wrestler, but most of them don’t affect me too much. You just have to know how to wrestle around them and stay healthy,” Claeys noted.

Progress comes with any sport, but in wrestling, it can be especially rewarding to see how far an athlete has come.

“When I went from JV state the year before to the 5A state championships the next year, it was rewarding because it showed my progress,” Claeys explained.

With 10 years of wrestling experience, Claeys is determined to continue striving for athletic success.

“I would recommend anyone to join wrestling because it builds good determination, but I wouldn’t join wrestling if you’re not ready to work hard,” Claeys remarked.