The St. John’s Prep wrestling staff received every little thing there was to win this season.
All of their twin meets. The Catholic Conference title. Every invitational match they entered. The state twin meet title. The MIAA Div.1 North, Div. 1 state, All-State and capping off the season with the New England championship.
The identical mindset that led to that success on the mat additionally paid off within the classroom; 11 St. John’s Prep wrestlers earned National High School Coaches Association Academic All-America honors.
“We stress [academics] a lot in the [wrestling] room,” stated Eagles coach Manny Costa, who has had 94 wrestlers earn that honor since 1995. “We take it very seriously. When you hit the books, you get better grades. You get into a better school. You get a better job and have a better life.”
Adam Schaeublin and Rawson Iwanicki earned the distinction for the third time. Tyler Knox and Alex Schaeublin grew to become two-time Academic All-Americas, whereas Elias Hajali, Matt Mitchell, Zach Richardson, Dylan Greenstein, Jack Blizard, Charlie Smith and Alex Bajoras acquired the distinction for the primary time.
“Eleven was the most we’ve ever had in one year,” stated Knox, a junior who received a nationwide championship in addition to sectional, state All-State and New England titles, and has already dedicated to wrestle at Stanford University. “[Costa] has always stressed academics.”
To be eligible to be on the Academic All-America staff, a wrestler should place in a state match (divisional or All-State) and have a grade level common of at the least 3.6 out of 4.0. A committee decides who receives that honor.
“It’s crazy to think about it,” stated Adam Schaeublin, a latest graduate who will wrestle for Trinity College subsequent 12 months. “It’s just a product of the mindset from wrestling. I wasn’t the best wrestler or the best student when I got here, but I worked hard at both.”
Adam Schaeublin was a sectional, state, All-State and New England finalist.
Iwanicki, a junior, a sectional, state, All-State and New England champion. “I worked hard at both things. I knew if I was to be a top-tier athlete and get into the kind of school I wanted to get into, I’d need the grades to go along with it,” he stated.
One of the issues that allowed the Eagles to take action properly on the mat and within the classroom is the mindset of by no means settling for something lower than their finest efforts.
“You’re always capable of doing better,” Knox stated. “If you get an A-minus, you want to get an A. You put in more effort to do a little better.”
Said Iwanicki, “I’m the same person on the mat as off the mat. In wrestling, I push myself. I set a goal to become a New England champion (which he won). I also set goals in the classroom.”
At one level this season, Costa let the staff know simply how necessary teachers are to this system.
“There was a time partway through a quarter when some of our grades slipped a little below what they should have been,” Adam Schaeublin stated. “Coach let us know about it after a meet when we had just won by 50 points.”
Said Costa, “We keep an eye on how they’re doing. If they fall behind, we let them know they need to stay on top of it. The parents appreciate it.”
Said Alex Schaeublin, a junior, “The team is always on your back about it, too.”
During the season, the staff has the calls for of each day practices and meets that happen each weekend and a few times through the week. Some of the wrestlers additionally observe with membership applications year-round.
“The practices are tough,” stated Alex Schaeublin, who received sectional and Div. 1 state titles. “During the season, balancing sports and academics is really a challenge.”
Said Knox, “You have to do a lot of time management.”
These honors, that the Eagles acquired nearly 4 months after they celebrated their New England championship, shut the ebook on one of the vital profitable seasons a Massachusetts High School wrestling staff has ever had.
“I’m happier about this than anything,” Costa stated.
Source: www.bostonherald.com