Although many other sports begin to wind down as the temperature drops, winter is when wrestling gets fired up. Wrestling off-season runs through football season, and its playing season runs until January. The team this year is mostly composed of young members, but these athletes are just as dedicated as their older counterparts.

“We will be a young team, but the boys are working very hard and we hope to surprise some teams,” said Coach Steve Ferguson.

Ferguson is new to Tahlequah High School, and he is optimistic about the coming season.

“[We will] try to be the best shaped team in the state. [We need to] try not to get tired, and always do [our] best,” said Ferguson.

“This year there are a lot less people drinking and smoking and doing drugs, and we have a couple good leaders,” said sophomore Cody Osburn. “That should help us.”

Wrestling is unique in that it is both an individual and a team sport at once. Although each athlete wrestles individually, and receives an individual score, the team is also scored as a whole.

“When you go out there you don’t have your whole team behind you,” said Osburn. “I like it because if you mess up, you can’t blame anyone but yourself.”

Junior Levon Smith, a former football player, also sees the dynamic difference between wrestling and team sports. “I like wrestling more than football because it’s more fun, but harder. I like to have challenges,” said Smith.

Wrestling is very exacting, and the rules are as complex as the sport itself. Each move is worth a particular number of points, and each has to be completed in a certain manner. For example, a Near Fall is worth two to three points, but the wrestler must earn it by forcing his opponent’s shoulders within four inches, or at a 45° angle to the mat. If the wrestler holds his opponents shoulders in this position for two seconds, two points are earned. If the wrestler can hold his opponent for five or more seconds, he earns three points.

This complexity can make wrestling challenging to new athletes.

“We need learn about the sport of wrestling, and learn the rules of the sport,” said Ferguson.

Many of the boys involved with wrestling at Tahlequah have been doing it for a long time. As with any sport, the longer someone participates, the more awards and achievements they make.

“I have been wrestling since my eighth grade year. My friends told me about it, and I kept wrestling because it was fun,” said Smith.

Osburn has also been wrestling for quite a while.

“[I have been wrestling for] four to five years. My friend from elementary school got me started,” said Osburn

Wrestling is not an easy sport, and it involves many sacrifices. One major part of wrestling is the weight class system. Competitors are weighed, and compete against others who are very close to their weight. This helps to keep competitors more evenly matched

“119 is my weight class,” said Osburn “It means that I weigh 120 or 121 [pounds], so the lowest weight my opponent can be is 119 pounds.”

“I’m a Varsity Heavyweight,” said Smith. That’s the highest weight you can go to. You start at 103 pounds (that’s the lowest) and it goes up to heavyweight. For instance [if we were playing] Bishop Kelley or something, I would wrestle their heavyweight.”

Although many wrestlers diet and exercise to keep their weight as low as possible, some take it too far. Because wrestling against someone who weighs less gives the wrestler the advantage, some wrestlers starve themselves in order to drop weight.

“We have to get certified now, and they tell us what the lowest weight [in a competitor] we can wrestle against,” said Osburn.

To be certified, each wrestler must weigh in and have his body fat measured. If the wrestler’s body fat average is deemed too low, he must visit a physician before wrestling. This is to prevent wrestlers from endangering their health in order to wrestle in a lower weight class.

Wrestling is a contact sport, and injuries do happen. Osburn hurt his knee while sprawling, and Smith once sprained his ankle during practice.

“Yes [injuries are common]. They happen around twice a week. I sprained my ankle in practice, but still got to wrestle. I just wrapped it up,” said Smith.

How well the wrestlers do depends largely on whom they compete against.

“This is my first year at Tahlequah,” said Smith. “There are some pretty good teams out there, and I’ll have to see how I do. It’s pretty different depending on who you compete with.”

Wrestlers compete to go to Regionals. If a competitor does well enough at Regionals, he may go to State.

“I would say I have a good chance of making State,” said Smith. “I just have to work in the wrestling room more often.”

“If I work hard and make the right choices, I will have a good chance [of making State],” said Osburn.

Ferguson has big hopes for the coming season.

“Our wrestlers are trying to become better student athletes, keeping their grades up and working to be the best wrestlers can be. It’s a lot of fun to watch these boys and see the improvement each day.”