Illness stalls wrestling season
An illness outbreak recently sidelined the Oak Ridge High School wrestling team.
“We didn’t do anything last week — I had 15 people out with the flu, so I had to cancel all team activities,” Coach Leterrin “Bam” Thomas said.
Oak Ridge will not return to competition until Jan. 3, when the calendar turns. But the Wildcats won’t be idle during the break.
“We’re going to come back and we’re going to practice,” Thomas said. “We’re going back to fundamentals and basics.
“We’re going to drill, we’re going to practice, and we’re going to work on muscle memory.”
The Wildcats, like many new programs, have faced adversity and growing pains.
Thomas said part of his job has been helping wrestlers stay positive during the ups and downs of the season.
“If you concentrate on a loss, it can really get you down,” he said. “But every match is an opportunity to learn.