Student athletes know that it takes sacrifice in order to a competitor in their sport, but wrestlers bear that cross like no other. Their performance depends heavily on how much they weigh due to weight class restrictions. To stay in shape or to cut weight, some wrestlers have to take very drastic measures.
Former varsity wrestler, senior, Connor Cook, gives some insight on the crazy things he’d have to do to cut weight.
“I wouldn’t eat like 2 days before a weigh in, I’d have to run a lot and wear a big jacket so I could sweat a lot. Losing all the weight was a little extreme. To be on varsity it was worth it, but otherwise it wasn’t really worth it; it was dangerous.”
Former junior varsity wrestler, senior, Gavin Stewart, reveals how he once took laxatives in order to make weight.
“I was on the toilet for like three days,” mentions Stewart.
Although some of the things wrestlers go through are seen as extreme, I think that it is a choice that wrestlers make. All sports require discipline and sacrifice. For instance, cross country runners have to forfeit sleep in order to make it to practice at 5AM every morning, while football players basically give up their social lives in order to be in zero hour weights and practice after school. Its the little sacrifices that student athletes make that build their character and set them up for the challenges of life.