Every year in November (except when Covid ruins everything), wrestling season begins its five-month season of excitement, pain, and victory. This year, the Jesuit Wrestling Team has one of the largest teams in years, with a record number of seniors. A varsity wrestler will fill nearly every single one of the fourteen weight classes – a necessity for the chance of winning duels. I sat down with head coach Ryan Menard to learn more about the team and its goals this season.
Interview with Coach Menard
Looking back to last year, what lessons were you able to take away from your experience and from the team that you think you’ll be able to utilize this year to have greater success?
We evaluate every year to gain insight for effective improvements and greater success. I believe in consistency and encouraging that consistency throughout the attending practices and setting some expectations that all the athletes hopefully meet. And then sticking to it, I think we sometimes have these expectations. And there’s no follow-through to hold those athletes accountable to make those improvements.
While wrestling isn’t a team sport in the traditional sense, what have you found is essential in instilling in the team to encourage athletes to support each other?
I believe that teamwork and unity are vital for the team’s success. Even though we’re in an individual sport, if we work together as a team, we can maintain much higher goals and expectations throughout the program.
Speaking of goals, do you have any specific ones this year?
An improvement in our performance at districts, which now has added Highland Park, making it a little more difficult. But one of the big goals is to fill all the weight classes, which we’ve not done for several years, and with the group this year, that’s a guarantee.
Most people are very unfamiliar with wrestling. For those curious, could you describe a usual practice and what it takes?
The boys started the year either lifting or wrestling morning each week. We then transitioned to the omega the third week of October, where we started our after-school workouts daily while still raising in the mornings. As for being on the mat, some core boys have wrestled throughout the summer, whether at school, traveling to camps, or in other clubs. Most of our varsity guys have been on the mat at some point throughout the summer as well. Those practices on that mat consist primarily of learning new techniques and conditioning and a little live wrestling at the end of training.
Each year, the team seems to grow; how do you juggle improving the experienced wrestlers while teaching the new ones the basics?
That’s very difficult, and hopefully, I put a lot of responsibility on the upper-level students and the older guys that have been here because I need their help to bring those new guys into the room and get them caught up, at least get the basic foundation.
As a former wrestler and current coach, what lessons have you learned from your experience that has helped you navigate your life?
Teamwork, accountability, work ethic, and discipline/commitment are some of the biggest ones because they’re skills that carry over and can help one succeed outside of the wrestling realm. They’re traits you need to have in your everyday life. Like wrestling in life, you may face things individually, but you have a team that supports you and is dependent on you.
Support the Team
Looking forward to the wrestling season? You can see the team wrestle their first duel on Wednesday, November 9th, in the Walsh Gym against McKinney Boyd at 6:30 PM. If you cannot attend, they wrestle Woodrow Wilson the following Wednesday at 6:30 in the Walsh Gym. However, if you enjoyed the first duel so much and can’t get enough, feel free to support the boys at Arlington High School on Saturday, November 12th starting at 9:00 AM for an all-day tournament. For more dates and details on the wrestling schedule, visit the Wrestling Athletic Page.
Stay tuned to Roundup for more news and recaps on Wrestling!
