Triathlon

On May 4, 2013, WCAAE wrestling coach Chad Lorenson and team statistician Ethan Olson competed in the Alexandria Chain of Lakes Triathlon along with wrestling Mom Tammie Olson. The three completed as a team in the tri, and finished with a time of 1 hour and 14 minutes. Tammie Olson began with the 600 Meter swimming portion of the race. Coach Lorensen picked things up after the first transition with a 13 mile bike ride. Ethan Olson brought it home with a 2.8 mile run. The trio placed 6^th out of 19 teams.

Jake Long NCAA All-American Wrestler

It’s always a great time when you get the chance to visit with one of your former students/athletes, it’s exciting to see how their lives change as they broaden their horizons.  This past weekend I got a chance to catch up with one of our former West Central Area standout athletes and Hoffman native... Jake Long. Jake just finished up his junior year at Concordia College in Moorhead and continues working on his Business Management degree.  Throughout the past three years Jake has experienced many changes, but one thing that hasn’t changed is his ability to perform well on the wrestling mat.  In March Long took 5th in the NCAA Division III National Tournament.  Jake has always had the goal of becoming an All-American.  That goal finally became reality. 

I found this quote from the wrestling website for Concordia College referencing to the first day of the national tournament- “Long provided the biggest highlight of the opening day as he upset No.2-seeded Michael Polizzi from Stevens Institute of Technology in the consolation quarterfinals. He hung with Polizzi until the final half of the third period and then pulled away to earn an 8-5 decision. Long will now face No.4-seeded Emanual Ajagbe of Delaware Valley in the consolation semifinals.  Long, who was seeded eighth heading into the national meet, won his opening match over Jorge Lopez of Williams College by a pin fall at 2:07. He then lost to No. 1-ranked Kodie Silvestri 7-0 in the championship quarterfinals.” 

Jake was selected as the 2012-2013 Outstanding Wrestler for the Concordia college wrestling team and will also represent the team as a Captain for the 2013-2014 wrestling season. I asked Jake what his new goal will be now that he had made All-American and of course he replied with......“National Champion!”  I knew his answer before I even asked it.  I wouldn’t have expected anything less.  Like I said earlier it’s always great to hear from former student/athletes, especially when goals are being met and new goals are being set.  Jake has one year of eligibility left to achieve his wrestling goal of becoming a national champion as he will begin his senior year and will finish his Business Management degree.

Fick Brothers Lift in Pierz By: Kevin Fick

Saturday, April 20^th

Hunter and Kyle Fick competed at the Pierz-Healey High School in the Minnesota RAW Powerlifting Championships.  This was a Bench Press and Strict Curl event.  Both lifts received three attempts.  There is a start, press/or curl, and rack command that is used in each lift.  As stated in the name of the event this was a raw competition only meaning all competitors lifted ungeared.  The event was sanctioned by the 100% RAW Federation.  This was a substance tested event.  A smaller venue, the tournament consisted of 16 lifters.  The smaller numbers did not mean small efforts.  Countless athletes broke and set new state records in the sanction.  Ages of competitors ranged from 7 to 65.  Luis Algarin directed the meet and was head judge.  This was a regional only meet, meaning national 100% RAW records could not be established but state records qualified. 

Hunter lifted in the 220 lb. 16-17 year old category.  Hunter’s largest bench press came in at 375 lbs. His lift ensured a new state bench press record and the largest bench press overall for the day.  Hunter curled 142 lbs. duplicating the above effort setting a new state record in the curl for his age and weight.  The combined weights of 527 lbs. secured the top efforts for the day for all lifters giving Hunter his first overall first place finish in a tournament.

Kyle lifted in the 148.8 lb. 16-17 year old group.  Not to be outshined by big brother, Kyle put up some numbers of his own.  Kyle’s best bench press came in at 200 lbs.  His curl ended with 92 lbs.  Both lifts secured a new state record in their respective categories.  Kyle received runner-up in the teen and under group edging out Tyson Lytle from Fargo, ND.  It is important to note that when finding the best lifter in each category overall weight lifted does not decide it.  There is a graduated scale that uses weight lifted, age of the lifter, and body weight of the lifter.  This formula finds the strongest pound for pound lifter.

Congratulations to both Hunter and Kyle.  Your time in the gym is showing dividends!  Stay focused, keep training and stick to your goals.  

Fick Brother and Lifting Coach (Dad) pose with their Awards.

WCAAE Wrestling Awards By: Kevin Fick

Friday, April 19^th

The area grapplers officially ended their season last week with the banquet and awards night.  The entire wrestling team from varsity to youth was present along with parents, grand-parents family and friends.  The format was a potluck and the boys took full advantage of it.  After a season of eating barely enough to keep a small mouse alive the wrestler’s descended upon the food tables like a dog on a steak!  Listening to the conversation most of it was about I weigh this much now,….oh yeah?  I gained this much in two weeks.  When the wrestler’s had finished the dessert table was a boneyard of empty glassware with spoons spinning in the bottom of containers. 

Concluding dinner the group moved into the Barrett auditorium and alumni wrestler Shane Wevely was the guest speaker.  Mr. Wevely presented a most interesting video clip from the movie Lion King.  The clip showed Rafiki (the baboon) swatting Simba (the lion) repeatedly over the head with a stick.  The part of this that relates to wrestling is that Simba had begun to doubt himself and the task at hand.  He was unsure of his ability and unable to focus.  Following the video Mr. Wevely delivered an outstanding talk concerning learning from your past, focusing on the task at hand and remembering who you are. 

Youth Coaches Troy Lohse and Brandon Gruchow presented the entire ‘Little Knights’ wrestling team and recognized the following standouts:

Most Wins                       Anthony Sykora    82 wins

Most Pins                        Colbe Tape             50 pins

Dominant Wrestler         Jaden Norby          53-3 record

Varsity Coaches Brandon Gruchow, Nels Onstad, and Chad Lorenson presented Varsity and JV awards:

JV Team Awards:

Most Improved             Aiden Winter and Chris Onstad

Hardest Worker            Levi Larkin

Most Valuable               Drake Swanson

Varsity Stat Awards:

Takedowns                        Jake Nohre           55

Reversals                          Jake Larkin          12

Escapes                             Hunter Fick           40

Near Fall Points                Kyle Mickelsen    48

Pins                                    Kyle Mickelsen    12

Wins                                   Royal Crow           29

Varsity Team Awards:

Best Rookie Wrestler        Hunter Fick

Most Exciting Wrestler     Hunter Fick & Jake Nohre

Team Spirit Award              Anthony “Buzz” Miller

Hardest Worker                 Hunter Fick & Royal Crow

Most Improved                  Hunter Fick & KyleMickelsen

Most Valuable                    Royal Crow

Sr. Scholarship                    Katie Larkin (statistician & manager)

Wrestling is a strange sport.  Having been involved with other high school activities I have yet to run across one such as this.  There is a close bonding experience that develops between wrestlers, families and coaches.  This is not to say that great effort is not put out by any other sport but perhaps the difficulty of an individual taking the mat alone is what stimulates the thought.  There is no team to rely on or help out.  We watch our sons and daughters on the mat week after week and understand exactly what Rafiki meant by helping young Simba.  There were plenty of ups and downs with this young team over the season.  It may be an individual effort on the mat but there is most certainly a team effort to get out there.  Emotions run high and injuries happen.  Wrestlers, coaches and parents sometimes lose sight but come Saturday mornings pull each other back to task.  It was an incredible experience and the parents and wrestlers would like to thank the coaches involved with our athletes.  Congratulations to all wrestlers this season.

Awards Night

ELEMENTARY STAT AWARDS
1)  Most Wins Anthony Sykora with 82 wins
2)  Most Pins Colbe Tappe 50 pins
3)  Dominant Wrestler Award Jaden Norby 55-3 record


VARSITY STAT AWARDS
1)  Takedowns Jake Nohre 55
2)  Reversals Jake Larkin 12
3)  Escapes Hunter Fick 40
4)  Near Fall Points Kyle Mickelsen 48
5)  Pins Kyle Mickelsen 12
6)  Wins Royal Crow 29

JV Team Awards
1)  Most Improved Aiden Winter and Chris Onstad
2)  JV Hardest Worker Levi Larkin
3)  JV Most Valuable Drake Swanson

Varsity Team Awards
1)  Rookie Wrestler Hunter Fick
2)  Most Exciting Hunter Fick and Jake Nohre
3)  Team Spirit Anthony "Buzz" Miller
4)  Hardest Worker Hunter Fick and Royal Crow
5)  Most Improved Hunter Fick and Kyle Mickelsen
6)  Most Valuable Royal Crow

Sr. Scholarship                  Katie Larkin (statistician & manager)

Inspirational Video for Awards Night

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Varsity Video

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