Wrestling Team Finds Areas for Improvement

Head wrestling coach Chip Ufford reiterated to his team after every practice to write down their weaknesses that needed to be worked on. This season, each wrestler evaluated themselves regarding the areas that required more improvement. Junior Blaine Hill wanted a way to keep organized. Blaine took his words seriously, recording his information, if it was how he did on the mat that day or the things that he needed to work on. Kept inside his journal is his complete guide to wrestling—improvements and statistics. Inside he can see what he did in the each previous practice and what he is going to do to achieve his goals.

This past season was different for the wrestling team, they narrowed the areas that needed focus and they made progress. With the help of a combination consisting of young and progressing talent, the team was able to place sixth in state and take home five individual medalists: senior David Hill, juniors Blake Hill, Blaine Hill, and Ben Randolph and sophomore Chipper Jorns. This season made it one of the most successful seasons is Shawnee Mission East history, giving hope to the team for the upcoming
years.

The varsity team this year consisted of two freshmen, one sophomore, four juniors and two seniors. As each athlete’s skill progressed through year, the following years look nothing short of positive. According to Blaine next season looks to be more promising.

“Our goal is to win state next year,” Blaine said. “I know that’s a possible goal and as hard as we work is how well we’ll do.”

Over the course of the season, the team put more work into practicing than in the past. The team met for practices more often on Saturdays than in previous years, working in the weight room frequently and spending more time on the mats.

“The key to getting better for next year is experience and getting more mat time,” Blaine said.

To get ready for next season, Ufford has a plan. Ufford assures that returning wrestlers sign up for a post-season evaluation. In the evaluation, Ufford talks one-on-one about strengths and weaknesses that need to be addressed accordingly.

“We look at all aspects of last season, if it is the number of take-downs, pins or escapes, that’s what we want to study,” Ufford said.
Ufford said that instilling more experience earlier will be beneficial to them in the upcoming season. The wrestling team holds a summer camp for up and coming wrestlers in the program as well as a team camp. All of the freshmen on varsity this season with the exception of one, attended camps through East growing up that prepared them for competing on the varsity level. During the summer, the team also focuses on the areas determined by Ufford in the previous evaluation. The former wrestlers also give their time and play a part in helping the young wrestlers.

“Open mat occurs every Wednesday of the summer and former wrestlers run them,” Ufford said.

The wrestling staff has scouted out different ways to reach the goal of improving their state standing from sixth to the top three.

Although practicing in the summer will boost skill levels, Ufford feels that the weight training during the school year is helpful for preparing for the season. Athletic weights classes have been available and the extra training will give the wrestlers more time to taper their skills.

Wrestling requires the time to improve, but experience is not the only focus entirely.

“We have to eat right, work hard and support each other in order to get better,” freshman Grant Hollsingsworth said.

The wrestlers evaluate one another at practice, testing their weaknesses and to ultimately focus on how to get ready for tournaments. The diet for the team is very precise, making sure that what one eats will not affect weight gain or weight class for competition.

Ufford said that next year, the team will have a great senior class, returning four wrestlers that went to state this season along with some young talent. The team will focus on those returning, but according the Ufford, it is also important to build up the team for upcoming years.

“I tell the seniors every year to leave the program better than when they found it and so far every senior has done just that,” Ufford said.