XBC Impact Story: Pulling to Success

American football coach Vince Lombardi once said, “The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have.” These words are lived out through all of the athletic programs at Xavier High School—the wrestling program is no exception. The wrestling program has not only been successful due to their hard work and dedication, winning their first tournament victory in 12 years at the Zimmerman Invitational in Maquoketa on Saturday, January 2, but also through the equipment they have been fortunate enough to receive from the Xavier Booster Club. 

In particular, in the 2019-2020 school year, the wrestling program received a rope pulley. The rope pulley is a single wheel and rope that rotate together. It helps work to stabilize and strengthen the wrestlers’ upper bodies. This unique friction resistance system also increases the wrestlers’ power, flexibility and endurance.

“We use the rope pulley every practice at the end of our workouts,” sophomore Jevin Rexroth said. “So, I am thankful for it as it has made it easier to do wrestling moves because of the strengthening of my arms.”

The Booster Club not only has donated the rope pulley but other equipment as well to help better the wrestling program and its athletes in this 2020-2021 season. 

“The Booster Club has allowed us to make purchases of equipment that we normally would not be able to afford,” Head Wrestling Coach Ryan Chambers said.

The wrestling program has also received iPads and video cameras from the Booster Club in past years to record matches and to train for upcoming matches against their competitors. 

Through the use of this equipment, the wrestling program is looking to achieve even higher goals this season. 

“Individually the goal is to win state, and as a team, I’d like to be in the team rankings,” junior Christian Stanek, who recently achieved 100 career victories at the Bean City Duals in Iowa City on Saturday, January 23, said. “Through Xavier High School, I have become a better person and a better wrestler.”

Rexroth also commented on how he has become a better competitor and athlete for the wrestling program because of Xavier’s numerous avenues of support.

“Xavier has given me the opportunity to wrestle and has allowed me to compete,” Rexroth said.

As Lombardi said, wrestling, like any other sport, is all about how one competes with what one has. And for the Xavier wrestling program, what they have is a community of support pulling behind them into next season. 

This article was written by Xavier Alum Grace Ries last year and updated by Mrs Augustine’s Journalism Class this winter.  Due to Covid the article wasn’t published at that time.