Catlin Rice of Cambridge:
“This year at Cambridge, we have 18 athletes out for wrestling. We have 5 upper classmen, and the rest are freshman and sophomores. Those young kids are very “green”. Practice has been great so far. The kids have an excellent attitude whenever they are up there and are really working hard. We might be moving slow for awhile with the young group, but I feel like they will catch on quick. They are just like a bunch of sponges and just soak up the new information that they learn at practice.”
Chase Klingelhoefer of Amherst:
“The first week of practice has gone well. The seniors in the room have stepped up and have become great leaders already for the underclassmen. If we carry our intensity we have now from the practice room over to the contests, we will be very competitive throughout the season.”
Brian Jones of Howells-Dodge:
“I love the first practice because it sets the tone for the entire season. I see who is eager to grind and who is ready to step into more leadership roles. The younger guys get an idea of our procedures and expectations while the seniors get their chance to lead some of our traditional components of practice. I get the chance to focus on fundamentals and see where each kid is at developmentally. I’ve got a great group of kids and I look forward to seeing them work towards their goals.”
Ryan Hoffman of Franklin:
“The first day was good. We had three kids out sick, but we’re glad to deal with that now instead of a couple weeks from now.”
Dean Boyer of Plainview:
“The first practice was very smooth. We have kids in the room that have been on the mat about 150-200 times since last season. They know what they are doing. I think we could wrestle a tournament tomorrow and do well.”