The Gibson Southern wrestling team has high hopes for the 2020 season, despite all of the setbacks, hardships and changes that are put in place to help slow and hopefully stop the spread of COVID-19. 

The team has set goals that seem reachable with its numbers.

“We plan to get top three at PAC due to the amount of wrestlers we have,” senior Christian Polen said. “And, we plan to have five move on from Sectional and have two wrestlers in State.”

The two wrestlers that the team plan on taking to State are senior Owen Bryant and Polen.

Practices have changed for the team. They now have more separation and the wrestlers are in groups in order to limit contact tracing.

The boys are staying hopeful, even with COVID-19 cases on the rise and indoor sports possibly cancelled. The team is still pressing forward even with new changes, like the new rules regarding equipment sanitation, contact tracing, number of spectators allowed and the referee declaring victory.

“We’re hoping we can get in most of the season, if not all of it, before possibly being shut down again,” sophomore Macade Chandler said.

The team has been taking sanitation seriously. They are cleaning mats after every practice and taking more showers. Individually, the wrestlers have been trying to stay clean and COVID-19 free by wearing masks and washing hands.

The spectators for the meets have now been limited to direct family, only parents and siblings, which means that there will be less than half of the usual attendance at the wrestling meets. The family members that do go are directed to wear masks and practice social distancing at all times.

The pandemic is not the only challenge the team is facing. Even with 15 wrestlers, the team has no wrestlers in the 132 pound weight class, but they know that the wrestlers they have are good.