TERRY COLUMN: Flathead wrestling with youth
To call Flathead wrestling a young team would be an understatement.
Of the 21 Braves headed to the state wrestling meet at the Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark this weekend, 13 are freshman or sophomores. There are nine first time qualifiers on the team. Five more went their first time as freshmen last year.
In the past, bringing such a fresh group to one of the most daunting atmospheres in the state would be a monumental task.
The Metra, which holds 12,000 spectators at maximum capacity, is the most unique venue in Montana. With 12 mats laid across the floor and more than 700 wrestlers in attendance, all being chanted by that raucous crowd, it’s something that can shake even the sturdiest of wrestlers.
Flathead wrestling coach Rich Vasquez knows that.
To combat any fear and anxiety that could arise with the young Braves squad, Vasquez started early, prepping his team for state since its first day.
“With today’s technology, I’ve already shown them what the Metra looks like, I’ve shown them highlight videos of it. They’ve heard the noise in there, we play it through the room while we’re drilling,” Vasquez said.
“Obviously, a couple of them could be a little bit wide-eyed going into it, but I think that part of it has been diminished. I think we’re going to be ready to go when we hit the mat.”
Before the season started, Flathead outfitted its wrestling room with the latest equipment it could use to prepare the team for every obstacle it could face. There are three wireless speakers, Wi-Fi access and a 115-inch screen connected to a projector. With the help of video-streaming services like Hudl, the team is able to watch match film of competitors from around the state.
The videos, the sound and the studious preparation to both the physical and mental side of wrestling have all helped curb many of the learning curves the team has had to face.
“All the highlight videos and everything you can show a kid, especially the young guys, it takes away a little bit of that anxiety,” Vasquez said.
The Braves coaching staff has also tried to look big picture, putting less emphasis on wins and losses, instead focusing on hard work and effort, hoping that work on the fundamentals will pay off not just this weekend, but also down the road.
“When you focus on effort, you take away a lot of that pressure of outcome,” Vasquez said.
“The kids aren’t focusing on whether they’re winning or losing and they’re just focused on wrestling.
“It’s the state tournament. Most of your guys are going to take some losses. How they respond to that is huge. We’ve got to be able to bounce back. We’ve got to be able to keep that positive attitude going.
“Eventually, that’s what’s going to keep them going to get them placing (at state). As we get older, that’s what’s going to lead to state championships.”
That mentality has kept the Braves loose and motivated all season and has been the catalyst of their strong close to the season.
“It’s supposed to be fun,” Vasquez said.
“You can only do this for four years of high school and if you’re lucky you get to go to college. For the most part, you’re gonna get four years out of this thing. I want them to have fun.
“I want them to enjoy it. I want them to look back on it and think this is the best thing they did during their high school career and just enjoy it. If they do that, that feeds through the team and you find success like we’re finding now.”
Joseph Terry is a sports reporter and columnist for the Daily Inter Lake. He can be contacted by phone at (406) 758-4463 or by email at jterry@dailyinterlake.com.