This week, we’re highlighting wrestling. We weren’t able to make connections with OPRF’s program, but Fenwick’s varsity coach Seth Gamino sat down to discuss the direction of the Friars’ program.
On how injuries derailed the beginning of the season …
“The year started off a little staggering since we were dealing with injuries. Our star, Matt Zuber, who is a four-year wrestler and state qualifier, had a tear in his knee. We didn’t get him back until mid-December. That is always going to hurt you but when he got healthy, David Capron started dealing with a shoulder injury. So we got one guy back and lost another guy. But we are getting healthier day by day.”
On state goals for the end of the season …
“We have four real promising kids in senior Matt Zuber, junior David Capron, heavyweight sophomore Jimmy Liston, and another senior with Max Daley. One of our big goals to start the year was to have the most state qualifiers we have had in the last 10 years. We haven’t had more than three since 2008, so we are shooting for four this year so we can get Fenwick wrestling back on the map. It’s a very exciting time.”
On being a first-year head coach …
“You know, it was a lot more nerve-wracking than I expected. In my business, I deal with a million and one things and can go to sleep at night, but since I’ve become the wrestling coach I find myself waking up in the middle of the night thinking, ‘Oh my god what are we going to do from 4:50-5:10 a.m.?’ You have to really plan. Twenty minutes of wrestling feels like two hours. It’s been stressful, but you want what’s best for the boys and if they don’t meet their goals, it feels like it falls on you because you didn’t get them there. I find that wonderful and stressful at the same time. To have their eyes looking at me knowing that I am their head coach is a joy that I didn’t know I would love as much as I do now.”
What Gamino learned from former head coach Peter Kowalczuk …
“He always talked about how your attitude and demeanor matters. You may be tired or you may be exhausted, but pushing forward is where you have to go. Coach K would always say he wanted to make wrestling fun again since high school wrestling is, in my opinion, the hardest sport at this level. It’s not like football where you hit your sprints and get 15 minutes to rest. You are constantly moving for two hours and he was always saying to make wrestling fun again and it is stuck in my head.”
Preparing for regionals and being able to host …
“The boys are doing such a great job preparing every day and getting ready for regionals. It’s great because we get to host [regionals] and I want them to get excited about potentially getting to win at home. I am not saying we are going to win the regional, but I think we have a sneaky good chance of winning and being able to do it at home.”
