Boston Latin School’s wrestling team is making strides this winter season. Despite facing setbacks following the graduation of many athletes last spring, they have been persevering through challenges, and the team continues to compete with a blend of experienced upperclassmen and growing athletes.
According to wrestling Head Coach Jeffery Gibbons, practice is the most important aspect of the team’s consistent growth. He says, “[Transformation happens] when practice starts. Our job is to get better every day. [We need] hard work and lots of it.” Gibbons’s leadership — a key factor for a successful team — is the driving force that helps all of the students reach their individual goals.
Last season, the Wolfpack won the Dual County League (DCL) title for wrestling. This was not just an impressive accomplishment, but also their first league win since the 2020 to 2021 season, making the victory all the sweeter. They hope to keep the momentum going this year and are looking to win the league as well as individual titles. The team has been successful so far this season, placing high at recent tournaments in both Framingham and Weymouth.
As a team, they have faced many challenges. BLS varsity wrestlers August Groh (I) and Myles Le (II) have suffered shoulder injuries, affecting their ability to compete. The shared weight room and gym have also proved to be difficult for the team because of the compromises made with other sports. They have been able to adapt, however, and train adequately.
Members of the team require more than an ability to adjust after setbacks; wrestling involves a mix of both skill and strength due to the many rules and moves. Each match lasts six minutes and is split into two periods. The wrestlers are divided into separate weight classes to protect the players and ensure equity. Pinning the opponent grants an automatic win.
Varsity captain Quinn Bowles (II) has been a part of the wrestling team since sixie year and has set ambitious goals for himself and the team. He states, “I want to place at the Massachusetts Interstate Athletic Association’s All States and New England Tournaments. As a team, we want to solidify our varsity lineup and have a winning record in the [DCL] this season.”
In addition to training on the mats, the team looks to make efforts to improve teamwork and communication, an important step in the success of the team.
The wrestling team succeeds through more than hard work alone. The team has thankfully been practicing rigorously, starting with explosive anaerobic warmups, followed by speed drills to build strength. Then, they slow down to work on their technique, focusing on the smaller changes, and they finish with live rounds, where they wrestle with their drill partners as if in a real match. They cool down with resistance push-ups and a run. Each practice is a little over two hours long, taking place in the Lower Gym, and is consistent proof of the team’s dedication.
A tradition the team participates in is the annual 3.5-mile Martin Luther King Jr. Day trail run to the summit at the Blue Hills Reservation. Bowles remarks that this is an excellent way to bond as a team and helps them push each other through a hard workout. The run continues no matter the weather, demonstrating their determination. This ritual has lasted for over 15 years and will continue for many more.
As a display of their commitment to the sport, students also take their wrestling skills beyond BLS. Head Coach Gibbons notes, “Five wrestlers post-graduation [are] continuing this sport at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Roger Williams University, Case Western Reserve University, Bridgewater State University and Naval Academy Preparatory School.”
The BLS wrestling team is now striving for more victories and titles. They are ready for a successful season and have been rigorously preparing themselves in hopes of bringing home another DCL banner.
