The wrestling team is bracing for the upcoming 2018-2019 season.

Wrestling is a brutal sport that requires extensive mental and physical strength.

Junior Colby Romjue, who has been on the team for three years, is ready.

“This season’s goal for me is [making it to] states,” said Romjue. “Last year I made districts, but this year I wanna get a medal in states.”

During the regular practice, the wrestling team goes to the weight room for 45 minutes, after that, they run 30 minutes and then wrestle in the time they have left.

“My favorite activity during the practice is wrestling,” said Romjue.

Senior Megan Brose, who was on the wrestling team during her sophomore year, is the wrestling team manager this year.

“There has never been female wrestling on the team, and the coaches were not used to teaching and training women, which is obviously not their fault,” said Brose. “I was constantly being beaten down and bruised, sweating and bleeding, training constantly, and changing my diet to make weight for matches. Wrestling is a lifestyle change that I was not informed previously about. I gained so much muscle and I was in the best shape of my life but I was constantly tired and fatigued and I never won a match. It is nearly impossible for a woman to join wrestling her first year and win a match against a man who has been in wrestling for his whole life. So, this is why I stopped wrestling, I love the  sport, but I can admire it from the sidelines while I help the team by being a manager.”

She has recently been the only female wrestler, and she might be the only female wrestler in school history.

Sophomore Eric Saenz started wrestling in fourth grade.

“The last year I didn’t do very well, so this season I try to get as [far] as I can,” said Saenz. “We don’t have a lot of new people on the team. That’s why I think it will be a great season for us.”

He is looking forward to matches and tries to win as much as he can.

The team is practicing six times a week and every day for three hours.

“Practices are very exhausting, but that is what helps us [get] ready for the new season,” said Saenz.