Schools

SSHS Athlete of the Week: Ryan Holzgruber

The sophomore wrestler has won three tournaments this season.

Standing 5'3'' and weighing about 99 pounds, sophomore Ryan Holzgruber looks like an unassuming, average 15-year-old student.

Holzgruber, however, is anything but average once he steps on a wrestling mat. The Cyclones sophomore has already won three wrestling tourneys this season, and is looking to make his mark at the Nassau County tournament this February.

"I'd like to win my qualifier (on Feb. 5) so it can give me a higher seed at the county's," he said. "I'd like to win that."

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Holzgruber said he'd like to bring some excitement for wrestling back to South Side, a school more known for its perennial powerhouse soccer and lacrosse teams. "It would be good for the team if we had more people come down to support us," he said.

The 99-pound sophomore is dedicated to his craft, and it all began in seventh grade at . He said wrestling always looked fun and he didn't have to be big to join, so he signed up.

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"It's not like other sports," he said. "You don't have to be big to do it. Wrestling is all about working hard."

And working hard he did. Holzgruber honed his craft during this past offseason at a nearby wrestling camp where he learned new moves and techniques. A couple times a week for two to three hours, Holzgruber perfected the moves that make him so successful.

"I'm pretty confident," he said when he goes into a match. "I'm not going to think I can't be beat, but you can't go in there thinking you have no shot."

Holzgruber said during a match, he feels more comfortable on his feet and his best maneuver is his takedown. When asked who pushes him to be this good, he said no one pushes him harder than he pushes himself.

"I push myself," he said. "In wrestling, it's individual. If you can't motivate yourself, you won't get to where you want to be."


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