As with all school sports this year, the CB West Wrestling team has endured an unusual start to the season amid the pandemic.

After starting outdoor conditioning in late October, the team transitioned to indoor practice a month or so later, modified in compliance with school policy. Head coach Steve Romesburg makes sure that masks stay on faces until athletes are on the wrestling mats, where they are only allowed to practice with an assigned partner. In addition to standard sanitation practices, sanitation wipes are used after every practice, and wrestlers are instructed to shower post practice as soon as possible.

However, all of this changed on December 10^th, when Governor Wolf announced the postponement of all scholastic winter sports until January. Athletes still remain optimistic, such as last year’s state qualifier, Carl DiGiorgio, who says that even with everything so up in the air, he is grateful for the time that has been allotted to the team to practice, and even in the face of such a postponement he will be working harder than ever.

Senior team captain, Chris Cleland, expresses similar sentiments, stating his belief that a season will occur and his optimism towards his own performance in said season due to the hard work he continues to put in daily. Teague McCormack, a talented junior, believes that even in face of such an untraditional season, the season will be riddled with both individual and team opportunity.

One of the newest additions to the team, transfer student Mike Long, believes that the team is very close knit and supportive and although it won’t be easy, they’ll grow both on and off the mats. Even if there isn’t a season this year, the team believes the hard work and dedication they’ve put toward the sport will be worth it.