Wrestling is a sport that requires significant dedication and devotion, which the Independence High School’s wrestling team has presented this season. Wrestling is a sport in which two opponents attempt to pin each other’s shoulders to the ground. In order to score points the opponent must forfeit, have an injury, or be disqualified.
Nathan Cumpton, IHS Wrestling Coach, led the wrestling team to success through the 2023-2024 season. He’s been a coach for wrestling for 7 years.
Cumpton said that his favorite thing about coaching wrestling is “seeing the growth the individuals have as people, both physically and mentally.” This is in part due to his coaching philosophy which is to first make sure the students are better people to become better athletes.
Cumpton feels like the team has improved because “every week they get better and better”, and he adds that he loves being their coach and that he’s very proud.
He stated he also enjoys seeing “new faces” join the team, especially freshmans and sophmores.
Senior Maya Rangel, captain of the wrestling team, said she feels “empowering” as one of the few women in the mostly male dominated team. She adds she feels very welcomed.
Rangel joined the sport because her teacher, Cumpton, talked to her about it, and she realized that wrestling is what she wanted to do.
Something she said she enjoys about the sport is that it’s an “individual sport where you don’t have to rely on your teammates to achieve the main goal.” She says she “loves her team” and considers her coach to be chill and cool.
Before joining, she said you must be mentally prepared, but she definitely encourages other students to join the team.
Senior Angelo Villarreal, another Captain on the team, says he feels “alive” when playing.
He states he first joined “to get better at football” but now just loves the sport. Villarreal has been on the wrestling team for 4 years now and shows appreciation for his coaches who he said helped him a lot throughout the season.
“My team definitely needs more work, but they’re pretty decent,” Villarreal mentions.
The wrestling team at Independence High School represents success in a lot of ways. It’s an amazing team consisting of both wonderful players and a wonderful coach.
