Hit the Mat, Wrestling is Back
Last year, COVID-19 cut many schools' wrestling seasons short. This year, the Golden Eagles wrestling team hopes to see more time on the mat.
Across the county, schools were temporarily suspended from wrestling due to new COVID-19 regulations enacted by Duval County Public Schools. Phillip Abbott, head coach of the wrestling team, is hopeful about the upcoming season.
“The season looks very good,” Coach Abbot said. “With wrestlers returning and the hope of new young talent coming out, we should have a great season and fill out a full team.”
“I believe that this year has the potential to be better than years past.”
Having wrestlers across all weight classes is key to winning duals against other schools.
“Last season we were hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Coach Abbot added. “COVID forced us to only wrestle three matches prior to January and two tournaments before gateway conference.”
In a normal season, a wrestler could wrestle anywhere from twenty to thirty matches. The fewer matches a team wrestles, the less skilled their wrestlers will be.
“With returning wrestlers and new talent coming out, I believe that this year has the potential to be better than years past,” Coach Abbot continued. “This season we should have two running streaks alive; a wrestler placing in every tournament and sending multiple wrestlers to regionals.”
Regionals are where some of the most talented wrestlers from the area compete to determine who is the best.
“There is always the hope that a wrestler will be the first to represent Paxon at the state wrestling tournament,” Coach Abbot concluded.