On December 1st, 2025, the South Windsor High School wrestling team experienced their first official practice of the season with the new head coach, Coach Michael Cunningham. Coach Michael (also known as Coach Mike) took charge of the high school team after former coach and current English teacher, Mr. Knapp stepped down after 20+ years of coaching, having even coached Coach Mike when he was in high school.
Coach Mike is not lacking in experience, however; having coached youth wrestling for years and having wrestled since childhood. The new coach has also been running preseason practices, meaning some wrestlers are already familiar with him and his training.
“I started in South Windsor’s youth program at age seven. I wrestled for Coach Jude and Coach Steve in High School earning a State Championship and valuable life skills under their guidance,” head wrestling Coach Michael Cunningham, said. “For the last 14 years, I’ve been growing and developing the town’s youth program trying to provide the same guidance and feed the High School program.”
Cunningham has emphasized the personal accountability and benefits that come from wrestling, wanting athletes to walk away growing as people as well as wrestlers. This is reflected in his training philosophy that he pushes his athletes to strive for.
“Wrestling is unique in what it fundamentally takes to just show up, I encourage everyone to at least try it, you’ll learn something about yourself,” Cunningham said. “To be a wrestler, you must be tough, resilient, dedicated, humble, and much, much more. All the work necessary to show up and compete, one-on-one, in front of a crowd, where you are responsible for your own win or loss, is a lot.”
Former head coach, Mr. Knapp still stays involved. He regularly attends practices to serve as a volunteer coach to remain involved in the wrestling team’s training and practice.
The changes brought by this year’s wrestling season have only made athletes more optimistic, still focusing on improving their skills throughout the season.
“[My] goals for this season would definitely be getting better at wrestling and being a better person by helping my teammates and pushing them to give their best,” sophomore and South Windsor High School Wrestler Rudransh Sinha said.
As the wrestlers work towards their first competition in the next few weeks, they will continue to practice hard and improve their skills mentally and physically for the many opportunities on the mat in the future. Win or loss, the South Windsor High School wrestling team will always push for new heights on and off of the mat.
