Wrestling and Football Teams Tackle Canceled Seasons, Uncertain Future
(This photo is from 2019.) Football is a big part of many players’ lives, and the lost season has hit them hard. Photo: Jefferson Allin
Boys Wrestling
By LESNY FONTUS
The wrestling team has been on the ropes for the past few seasons. But, unwilling to throw in the towel, they experienced a major turnaround in 2019-2020. The members especially excelled last year in the individual tournaments, with the freshmen and sophomores leading the charge in displays of vigor and strength.
”We had a really good finish to the season, placing third at the Freshmen-Sophomore City Championships despite missing a few good wrestlers due to injuries,” said Mr. Michael Dowd, the team’s coach.
Senior Adrian Artsisheuskiy contributed to the improved performance with his victory in the competitive city-wide Mayor’s Cup, with an almost flawless score.
“Fourth city champion in five years!” Mr. Dowd said. “We’re on a roll!”
This kind of accomplishment did not happen overnight. Artsisheuskiy trained over four hours a day after school to sharpen his wrestling skills. At the core of it all was “determination and dedication,” he said.
However, Covid’s unexpected arrival put a halt to the team’s upward trajectory.
“We have no idea what our season will look like this year,” Mr. Dowd said, “so the guys are just trying to stay in shape and stay motivated so that we'll be prepared when we're finally allowed to wrestle.”
Keeping that drive during such a tough time has remained difficult.
Artsisheuskiy’s dream of winning the Mayor’s Cup one more time before he left high school has been put on hold. “But there’s nothing I can do about it but train,” he added.
Alexander Roberts ’22 said, “I’m devastated, but I can deal with it. I’m still training and maintaining my strength, but I’d love to go back if I could.”
Mr. Dowd checks often on the wrestlers through the team’s communication platform and urges the players to stay in shape mentally and physically. “Running, lifting, and doing other exercises is not so much about working hard,” he told the team, “but having the right mental strength.”
The wrestlers motivate each other to stay fit as well. “You guys should be getting shredded during quarantine,” Artsisheuskiy said to his teammates.
Unwilling to let the offseason and pandemic KO him, team captain Dennis Kaplan ’21 also ran the extra mile, literally. “Just ran to the Verrazano Bridge and back,” he texted the other members. “Train, and train now. Next year is Midwood’s year!”
The situation may currently seem dire, but it will end someday. When that day comes, look into joining the wrestling team for a chance to be your best self no matter the circumstances. But also be prepared to put in the work.
“The difference between good and great is a little extra effort,” Mr. Dowd said.
Football
By DOUHA ELMENIAWY and MAHDI AHMAD
The team huddles up in 2019. Photo: Jefferson Allin
The loss of this year’s football season has hit the Midwood team hard. It’s not just the excitement of the games. It’s also the camaraderie and sense of working toward a common goal that players are missing. Football has become an important part of their lives, and now all that is up in the air.
“Missing out on practice is really taking a toll on me mentally,” junior Justin Tagaan said. “I truly don't think I'll get into the routine of not playing after school. My mind is just always making me miss the game.” Tagaan has been spending much more time with his family, he said.
Junior Jaylin Allin said, “The rush of catching the ball and running away from the guys barreling towards me was the best part of my day.”
Christian Sichler, a junior, quit the team over the summer because he was tired of “false hopes” about a season restart. “It was super mentally draining,” he said, “because deep down, I knew the team would never start up again [this year].”
The team coach, Mr. Anthony Odita, has been sending messages to check in on how the players are dealing with everything. A lot of the players miss the football season’s role as a get-away from “stress and family struggles,” junior Leunard Kelmendi said.
Adding to the disappointment is the fact that a lot of the players’ college plans rested on making an impression on scouts with their play. “Not only did the thing that distracted us from our problems go away,” Kelmendi said, “but now we have to face the reality of going to community college” instead of the future players had in mind.
Colleges provide scholarships to players they are impressed by, but without games to show off their skills, the players’ tickets to their target schools may be lost. “We were always told to have a back up plan just in case football didn't actually work out, but [many of us] never really listened,” Allin said.
For athletes, their sport is often much more than just a game. As with many things during the pandemic, this important fact is now more fully coming into view.