By Nick Philips, Editor

Wrestling is more of an individual sport rather than a team sport, and for the team as a whole to prosper, everyone needs to be in top physical and mental condition. These are extremely high expectations when wrestlers are struggling to cut weight, work their best in practice and dealing with typical teenage things like trying to manage school work, family and friends. Accidents do happen, though.

Senior Josh Rogers is a prime example. In seven years of wrestling, he has been injured four to five times, some more serious than others.

“The worst injury I’ve had was I tore my labrum, which will need surgery eventually, with a six to eight week recovery time,” he said. “It’s bad luck, but it makes your pain tolerance higher.”

 As a wrestler, the worst wrestling related injury coach Joe Thorgesen has seen was a dislocated elbow at a tournament a few years ago. The worst injury Thorgesen witnessed as a coach was a dislocated shoulder.

 “I think there are a lot of high school sports that are more dangerous like football, basketball, and baseball and they are higher up on the injuries. Developing strength, good technique and being more explosive than your opponent helps eliminate injuries,” Thorgesen said.

 Someone who is no stranger to injuries is Coach Jeremy Kenny.

“One time, a kid shot into me, i put my knee out to defend his shot and kneed him in the nose, and he started gushing blood,” Kenny said.  “Weight lifting and flexibility training helps your injury resistance. Anything is dangerous. Accidents happen, but that’s no reason to try things. I got my knee hyperextended during practice. It wasn’t very serious, but really no way of prevention.”

 Junior Connor Williams was out with impetigo freshman year, which is a contagious fungus from the wrestling mats.

 “Cleaning the wrestling mats and washing regularly is one way of prevention. I was out for two weeks, but it didn’t affect how I wrestled,” Williams said.  “Wrestling is one of the more dangerous sports because your always moving and its easier to get hurt.”

 Sophomore Dane Goodenough’s worst wrestling-related injury was a quad contusion, a bruised muscle on the quad.

 “Prevention would be trying not to get hit in the leg,” Goodenough said, “It wasn’t to serious i was out two weeks, just had to sit and wait it out.”