Ohio State Wrestling: Working Hard to Get Even Better
The Ohio State wrestling team is doing great this season, winning 10 matches in a row! Coach Tom Ryan is proud of the team but knows they can still improve.
During the holidays, the team took a break, but they came back ready to work. On January 5, they won big against Oregon State, 40-3. Then they beat Illinois 24-9 and Rutgers 17-15. Even though they’re undefeated, Coach Ryan wants the wrestlers to be even more aggressive in their matches.
“We have great wrestlers, like Carson Kharchla, who hasn’t lost since he came back, and Dylan D’Emilio, who’s won 13 out of 14 matches,” Ryan said. “But we need everyone to keep pushing and looking to score points in every match.”
Nic Bouzakis: Pushing Himself Harder
Nic Bouzakis, one of the wrestlers, has shown he’s very talented. He’s won against some of the best but had tough losses against strong opponents recently.
Coach Ryan wants Nic to bring more energy to his matches. “When you lose, you can either give up or work harder. I know Nic will work harder,” Ryan said.
Nic agrees. “I need to give my best in every match, just like I did in high school,” he said. “Even when I win, I know I can do more. It’s up to me to train harder and improve.”
Coach Ryan on Referees
Sometimes, matches don’t go as planned because of referee decisions. Coach Ryan talked about a match against Rutgers where he felt the referee made the wrong call. “We’re not asking for perfection, but we want the refs to review close calls to make sure they’re fair,” Ryan said.
Even though Ryan wasn’t happy with the decision, he was proud of how his wrestler, Seth Shumate, gave his best effort. “Seth fought hard, and that’s what matters,” Ryan said.
What’s Next?
The Buckeyes are getting ready for their next matches against Purdue on January 19 and Iowa on January 25. Coach Ryan isn’t worried about competing against other famous coaches. Instead, he’s focused on helping his team improve.
“My job is to make sure our wrestlers are prepared, fight hard, and keep getting better,” he said.
