After a couple of down years, the Oak Park and River Forest High School boys wrestling team enjoyed a resurgence this past season, winning the West Suburban Silver title. The Huskies also won IHSA Class 3A regional and sectional titles to qualify for the state dual-team quarterfinals.
But the OPRF program has long based success not just on meet and tournament results, but also on the level of community service it provides. A prime example took place earlier this month when the Huskies took their annual Senior Trip. The destination? Raleigh, North Carolina.
This year, 10 rising seniors made the journey: Terrence Garner, Eric Harris, Tristan Kidd, Joe Knackstedt, Ben Martin, CJ Robinson, Gabe Rojas, Gabriel Schmidt, Hugh Vanek, and Ryan Wozniak.
“The concept of the ‘Senior Trip’ was developed by Mike Powell when he was the head coach and started in the summer of 2005,” said OPRF coach Paul Collins. “We did backpacking trips through various mountains. An outdoorsman I am not, so I wanted to incorporate service with some nature.”
After taking over the program, Collins made an important adjustment to the trip.
“I decided to work with Habitat since they’re a nationwide organization and would provide opportunities for service outside Illinois,” he said. “The wrestlers get a chance to work with carpenters and other construction professionals.”
On the first day in Raleigh, the Huskies toured the campus of North Carolina State University and hiked 6.8 miles on the Company Mill Trail in Umstead National Park. The next day, they did work at a Habitat ReStore, which helps provide funding for housing materials, administration costs, and support for needy families.
The final two days, the team worked with local Habitat volunteers to construct foundations for new homes on land that had been recently vacant. The goal is to have more than 30 houses and at least 10 multi-unit buildings completed on the site.
“The wrestlers always do a fantastic job on the worksites,” Collins said. “The boys see how the structure changes from the beginning to the end of the day. Oftentimes, one of the residents of a house explains how important the work is to them personally and how they appreciate the volunteering. It’s easy for coaches to try and explain why this is important, but it definitely means more coming from future homeowners or other volunteers.”
Collins says the goals of the Senior Trip are to jell as a team while away from home and to show appreciation for communities that support them. Moreover, the rising seniors further enhance their leadership skills through the trip.
“Our program continually talks about gratitude and giving back to the community — their own and others,” Collins said. “We have conversations each evening with the athletes — influential people in our lives, the working definition of leadership, and what their legacy will be as a senior class. We want to provide the foundation for their transition into their senior years.”
Then there’s the benefit of a valuable experience that helps the team with their own lives.
“The students gain a better understanding of how much work goes into providing homes for people less fortunate,” said Collins. “Over the years, the groups have always taken more back from the trips than I could ever explain. These trips provide lasting memories with teammates and coaches.”