By Kyle Arechiga

Wrestling is a sport that demands skill, discipline and years of determination. This holds especially true for the seniors of Granada Hills Charter High School’s (GHC) wrestling team. This journey has been one of perseverance, teamwork, and personal growth. 

Unlike many other sports, where excessive physical contact is discouraged to prevent injuries, wrestling thrives on controlled aggression and endurance. It is a sport that pushes athletes to their limits, testing not only their physical strength, but also their mental toughness to compete in the sport. 

Seniors make up 25 percent of GHC’s wrestling team, with most having dedicated more than half of their high school years to the sport. This commitment speaks volumes about their passion, dedication, and resilience.  Although wrestling is physically demanding, it is also deeply personal, fostering bonds that go beyond competition. 

“Our team has become tougher as well as more passionate over the four years I’ve been on the team, and I believe it’s because a quarter of the team is seniors, so everyone wants to give it their all because a chunk of us are leaving,” senior and team captain Kyrstian Chemitz said. 

“As I watched my teammates improve on the mat that pushed me to be better every day, this inspiration I get from my team pushes me to be better off the mat because now that I have done wrestling everything else in my life has become easy,” senior and team captain Daniel Antikyan said.

“Throughout all of this time, I have had bandages wrapped around my head or arm, it has only motivated me to keep focus on my match,” Antikyan said. “No matter what obstacles come my way in life, I will always be focused on my main goal, thanks to my team and my coach.” 

As the seniors approach the end of their high school wrestling journey, they reflect on the years of hard work, challenges, and friendships. They’ve experienced changes in weight classes and they’ve seen medals both lost and earned. Now, as their journey finally comes to a close, they carry forward not just the skills, but also the knowledge gained.

“After everything I have been through on this team, I am very sad to see all of this work go, but I am happy that I left all that I had on the mat,” Chemitz said.