Ikkyu Raviwongse is a wrestler for the South Windsor Varsity Wrestling team. This is Raviwongse final year on the wrestling team. He’s been wrestling for South Windsor High School for the past 3 years, and now he is entering his last season with a passion and commitment.
While growing up he always wanted to get into the sport but never was able to compete in wrestling until the last 3 years of his high school experience.
Wrestling was a sport that Raviwongse has loved since he was a kid, and it has always been a goal of his to have the crowd supporting him and cheering him on. Now being on the team, he has the opportunity to achieve his goals.
Throughout the years of his life he’d been thinking about competing in wrestling, but it wasn’t until he went to his friends’match, when everything changed.
“When I attended a friend’s match, the intensity and discipline of wrestling captivated me, prompting my decision to join the team,” Raviwongse said.
Beyond the initial level of commitment to be a wrestler it also takes long term commitment and sparring with others to get better. Constantly spending your free time practicing the skills is important to compete at the high school level.
A single match consists of five sessions each combining technique drills, strength training and sparring. Practices for these matches allow the athletes to not only have physical endurance but also mental resilience.
“The most challenging aspect of training lies in the mentals if you don’t have mentals, you’re not going to be up to the challenge of wrestling as a high school sport,” Raviwongse said.
Raviwongse believes that in the sport the most important part is team work, and as a senior he believes it’s important to be a role model for the team, and he’s not the only one.
“Our team chemistry has significantly improved and we have an improved environment. Encouraging each other’s growth and spending time with each other outside of wrestling,” Sophomore Liam Hernandez said in an interview with The Prowl.
For his last season Raviwongse hopes to Embrace being a wrestler and create new relationships while he’s at it. Raviwongse also hopes that the team maintains its motivation, and wishes them a wonderful season, once again.
