Name: Will Richardson

Grade: 9

Sport: Wrestling

Four fun facts about Will

• He wrestles in the 215 lbs weight class
• The coaches thought he was a senior when he walked in the first day
• His favorite takedowns are the double blast and single snatch
• He placed first in his bracket at the Kentwood Invitational last week

How long have you been wrestling?

“Just since the start of the season. The football coaches kept pushing us to wrestle after football season, so I decided to do it.”

What are you most excited for this season?

“I’m really excited for the tournaments because I get really hype.”

What is your favorite part of the sport?

“The fighting and when I’m on the mat against my competitor, beating him up, and going for the glory of my school.”

How did you get into wrestling?

“After I got cut from basketball, I decided to wrestle because my football coaches recommended it to all of us.”

Who is your inspiration in your sport?

“Coach big Dan and my uncle, who used to coach and wrestle; he passed away two years ago now, so he’s a big inspiration.”

What are the team’s best qualities?

“We’re a really close team. For some teams out there, it’s just one person for themselves, but this Ranger wrestling team is one person for all.”

What three characteristics do you feel are most important for a wrestler to possess?

“Toughness, both mental and physical strength, and determination to win. If you’re not tough mentally, then when you get knocked down on the mat, it’s hard for you to get up because you don’t believe you can beat your opponent. You also need to be strong physically to push yourself back up. One of the most important things is to keep jumping back and forth on your toes to show your opponent that you’re not tired.”

What has been difficult with this being your first year wrestling?

“The toughest part was the first few matches when I only knew a few takedowns, and I didn’t know a lot of the rules.”