Practice Effort
Ok... following up from last weeks entry, nothing but maybe one or two people's attitudes have changed. This weeks big issue is illness. I have a cold right now myself; everyone needs to buck up and come sweat it out. It does a body good. Anyway, yesterday, our 2nd practice was ended early by coach because we weren't working hard enough. He was right. Even late in the year and with a cold, we should still be giving a 110%. I'm not affraid to admikt that I don't. I should, however, and I plan to from here on out. Basically, give it your all at practice because we cannot have a match everyday for a couple reasons... 1) we would die of dehydration because of weight, 2) we wouldn't win the matches because of no practice, and 3) no unity. PRACTICE HARD!

Late Season Slouch
Mood:  irritated

Well it's starting to get close to the end of this wrestling season, and I'm sure some wrestlers, coaches, parents, and just people in general are getting restless with wrestling.  I, as a wrestler at Ready, am here to tell you not to. With all of this, comes mental and physical pains. A lot of our team is currently sitting out or fighting through practice with "an injury". Now I am not here to point fingers, but a lot of this is mental. In my opinion, we need to pick it up and get back on the mat no matter what the cost. Sure, it is getting a little late in the season and people are eager for spring, but this is the time in the season when everyone should be getting pumped up. Sectionals, Districts, and States... that is why we wrestle. Now stop the crying and get jacked for some wrestling!

Albert Rozman

To all of those who have worn the silver and blue...

This is my first blog. First let me say that I am David Dubiel, a captain for the 2007-2008 year. For all of you that have seen our room, you know that it is filled with banners and pictures of wrestlers from long ago that wore the same colors andA represented the same school thatA this teamA now is working to represent. Believe me, it is quite intimidating to have Tommy Rowlands and Ross Thatcher and Jimmy SmilesA and all the other incredible wrestlers looking down on us, as if saying "Stop. If you have all that you can do to become a champion, you can leave". I honestly dont know if I can answer that question with a yes every single day. A But what I do know is that we look up to all of you who wrestled for Ready in the years past, and we revere all of you whose picture is mounted on our walls. However, I invite you to come in and please honor us. The room is open at all times to you. We want to be better, and there is nothing more inspiring and moreA gracious to a 15-18 year old than to have our heroes be in our presence. Please make an effort at sometime in the year, if not for us, just to see the new room andA your picture from years ago hanging with all of the other champions that have graced Bishop Ready. We need your support. You were there. You wrestled in the state championships. That is where we want to be. We want to make the journey to the Schott, but it wont happen unless we know that the Silver Knights from the past are here to help make the journey possible!

Alumni Function and Pre-season conditioning

The Alumni function wasn't very well attended, I am sad to say.  Information was sent out to 170 ex-wrestlers, and I woudl once again like to encourage any wrestling alum to get involved.

Conditioning and lifting has been going very well.  A lot of kids are still in football (big win over Hartley), including 5 potential starters.  That said, workouts and lifting have been intense and kids are really starting to push each other.  I've mentioned Ron Townsend before, but Albert Rozman (103), Abe Chiapetta (112-119) and Andrew Clarke (130) have had strong pre-seasons.  We also recently got soccer players Alex Kegelmeyer (119-125) and Christian Mayer (130) from soccer, and both those kids should make huge jumps this year. 

One month away...

This is my first ever blog.A As the season progresses, I will try to get various kids to post their thoughts.A I'm sure David Dubiel will not be too hard to convince.A Or Albert Rozman.A Or especially Troy Gundelfinger.A We have no shortage of wise-guys around here.A One guy to avoid is Ron Townsend...he has had a great off-season and dropped a ton of weight.A He is on his way to 171 (he weighed 280 eighteen months ago!) and is quite a grouch.A MS coach Josh Saha has stated more than once, "I liked fat, happy Ron a lot more...but skinny mean Ron can wrestle!"  I know we are excited and anxious to see Ron's work on the mat pay off.

Well, we are a month away from official practice on November 9th, and as a wrestler, coach or fan, we have a lot to get excited about.A The team had a great summer with a very solid showing at camp.A In addition, many kids attended several camps (OSU, DiSabato, Martins, etc).A

It is a newer experience for me being at a DIII school in the off-season.A I am used to most kids doing one sport...at Ready, that isn't really possible!A We are such a small environment that the coaches really work together to schedule camps and coordinate events.A It has worked out well and everyone wins.A When I was in HS, everyone did 2 or 3 sports and I think it helps the student-athlete in their development.

Preseason meeting Thursday the 18th at 3:00.A Be there!A

-Coach Nicola