The Waterford High School Wrestling Team, under the guidance of Coach Rick LaFerriere, is back this season with the mission to win their league championships and the Masters Dual Meet Championships, as well as finish as the highest placing Div. 6 school in Div. 5 Individual championships. With the nucleus of team captains Ryan Espinoza and Daniel Mercado returning, the team is looking to make a splash.

In order to succeed, Waterford is relying on the skill and dedication of top returning players from last season such as Ryan Espinoza, a strong and quick 144lbs wrestler entering his third year, and Daniel Mercado, a very agile 215lbs third-year wrestler who is also very knowledgeable. This season there will also be new players such as Noah Rollins, Jesus Serrano, and Wyatt Towe at 120lbs, 140lbs, and 113lbs respectively, who will be expected to make an immediate impact on the team.

The quality of a team captain is very important, and Coach LaFerriere looks for captains who can motivate their teammates that are less experienced and be able to set an example. He, along with the other coaches, choose them based on their ability to lead. To build camaraderie and team chemistry this season, Coach LaFerriere has come up with competitive activities, separate from wrestling itself, which typically occur at tournaments.

It's essential for a coach to be able to motivate his players to reach their full potential, and Coach LaFerriere does this by pointing out examples of players who are doing something right and then using those examples to suggest how the rest of the team should be performing. There also is emphasis on stories of past experiences.

One of the biggest challenges for the team this season is filling out the all 14 weights. The added pressure of finding wrestlers to fill these spots only adds to the difficulty of getting Waterford ready for competition.

The team’s schedule is full of tough opponents they will face but also allows the wrestlers to take part in some JV tournaments as well. However, the team may have a tough time in the league due to the California only having one championship for all schools, no matter the size. This raises an unfair disadvantage as larger schools have more access to coaches, facilities, and can pay for camps and tournaments during the off season.

When it comes to coaching style, Coach LaFerriere believes in being consistent and organized from season to season, while also incorporating new techniques they may have picked up in the off season. He also is very aware of the importance of the mental game, noting that at higher levels, it is 90% mental and 10% physical.

To continue to improve their training and conditioning program, the team is being pushed to do more running and calisthenics on their own, helping to capitalize on their strengths and improve on their weaknesses.

Speaking of the strengths and weaknesses of the team, Coach LaFerriere knows they have most of the wrestlers from last year returning with a couple of newcomers. The weakness of the team is in not having all the weight classes full.

Waterford High School and Coach LaFerriere are hoping their hard work and commitment to excellence pays off with success this year. The athletes know they have to be dedicated in order to improve, and with this in mind, academics come first and they know that anyone can become a champion, if they put in the time and effort.

Fans and supporters of the team should know that they will need to travel to nearby competitions to cheer on the wrestlers as there are only two home matches this season.

We wish the Waterford High School Wrestling Team all the best this season and can’t wait to see the results of their hard work on the mat!