Wrestling becomes active after two year hiatus

By: Veronika Quispe/Staff Writer

Ten FIU students have set a high goal for this winter season: to revive the once forgotten FIU wrestling team. Not only to revive it, but to bring victories home as well.

FIU wrestling has been inactive for two consecutive years. Max Dalcy, a senior mechanical engineering major, has found the time to take part in this fresh team of wrestlers. Although practices are held late nights at the gym, he has found it rewarding to come back to the mat.

“I think we’ll do really well, we’re willing to wrestle come to practice and put in the effort,” says Dalcy.

The team is made up of a group of men who want to work hard and dedicate their time to not only keeping the team active, but to competing at a collegiate level, and very possibly winning championships.

There have been a few freshmen who have become involved with the team, continuing their experience from being on their high school teams. Business management major Joshua Baron serves as a great example, and someone who has quickly gained leadership skills on the team.

Baron was forced to decline his scholarship to Oklahoma and came to FIU as a second choice. However, he did not want to exclude wrestling from his life after working for two years on the Miami Killian Senior High School team. “I started looking for options, I saw FIU had a team and I became determined to work on it,” says Baron.

“When you ask about FIU wrestling people answer, ‘Who?’ They don’t know there was a wrestling team. We’re taken lightly. Our biggest weakness is actually getting enough momentum to keep this thing going.  We have to show them we’re about it, we’re in this,” says Baron.

Although FIU wrestling is not the most popular sport at FIU, they do have experienced wrestlers working towards the same goal, whether it is practicing past 11 p.m. or sacrificing weekends for tournaments.

“Everyone is pretty experienced, they still have some kinks to work out but they’re all in pretty good standing,” says Dalcy.

The effort put forth by these men has served as not only a way to get ahead in tournaments but for life skills. “This has really helped me develop as a person, not only getting this team off the ground but assuming the position of leadership. Improve my skills for leadership for the future,” says Baron.

FIU wrestling is under new management this season, yet this has only made the team stronger.

“Our coach is head strong. This is the first time we actually go into competition, and he’s been preparing us for that,” says Dalcy.

“We’re not here to vegetate. There are a lot of mountains we have to climb and nationals is definitely within our grab this year,” says Baron.

FIU wrestling’s collegiate season started in mid October and ends late February. However, their season goes all year because they compete in various USA tournaments.  They will kick off their season at a University of Central Florida tournament Saturday, Nov. 15. where FIU will meet Florida Gulf Coast, University of South Florida and UCF at the mat.

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