Nick Adams ’19, co-captain of Wrestling, has been with the team since his Junior year. Nick is also an active member of Sailing during the spring. His teammate Amanda Maia ’19 said, “Nick is a great inspiration to look up to in wrestling. Joining the team was intimidating, but Nick took me in and helped me.” 

When did you start wrestling?

I used to think wrestling looked really weird, probably as most people do. But one of my friends from school kept insisting that I join the team. So, in grade nine I finally signed up for the wrestling team. I fell in love right away. 

What was your toughest challenge as a wrestler? 

Sometimes losing a hard match makes me think to myself: “Why am I doing this? This is awful.” But then I remember how, in the beginning, I kept on trying and working and waiting. I take it in, and I remember that this sport is dog-eat-dog – I just have to become better and beat that guy next time.

What goals does your team have for the season?

In the beginning of every season, we all sit down to think of our individual goals and write them on paper. With a larger team this year, we are definitely looking to place higher in Westerns, New Englands and Nationals, but I think, at the end of the day, our main goal is to improve overall as a team, no matter how we might match up with the competition.

Do you have any weird traditions to prepare you for a wrestling match?

Wrestling involves a lot of decision-making and quick reaction time. To raise my alertness, I like to splash my face with water before my matches. I remember seeing Olympic wrestlers on TV who would slap themselves all over just before stepping on the mat. They’d begin by make huge sweeping motions with their arms that would hit their legs on the way down and hit them again on the way back up. I incorporated this into my pre-match routine. So essentially, I just throw water in my face and slap myself.

Why do you enjoy wrestling?

I feel like wrestling has changed me as a person for the better. It has taught me many lessons. It [has] taught me perseverance, the ability to never give up when you’re tired –  even when your entire body says “no” but you keep going. It [has] taught me courage to face an opponent one-on-one, mano-a-mano, in front of everyone I care about. I love my team, and I love the sport. Whether or not I will continue to wrestle in college is uncertain, but I do know that I will remember the times I’ve had and the lessons I’ve learned for the rest of my life, wherever I go.