Get your singlets out of the closet and be ready to strap up your headgear because Englewood Wrestling is back! Dwight Morrow High School will be rolling out the mats for this winter’s wrestling season after a long drought without the sport. With a rich wrestling past filled with numerous state champions, Englewood looks to put themselves back on New Jersey’s wrestling map.

There are 26 students from who have already signed up to try out for the team and it looks promising for the new sport. The great part about it is that students who do not play other sports are coming out. This means there will be more student-athletes and more kids getting involved.

On Wednesday Dec. 4, 2013, the season will “shoot-off” at the first team practice. There are students that are very eager to begin their training for the anticipated season.

“I think that this season will be great because of the vast amount of people interested in the sport,” said junior Alex Welch enthusiastically.

Charles Taylor, a respected wrestler, who wrestled at that collegiate level at Wheaton College in Illinois, has been appointed head coach of the team. He continues to wrestle competitively and looks to be a positive pedal-to-the-metal coach.

Some changes have already taken place at the school in terms of the training rooms. The first floor weight room in Dwight Morrow is being transformed into a full wrestling room. The storage space above the “old gym” is the new home of the weight room. All the weights and machines have been transported to the room and will be utilized by the wrestling team this season.

There are students who are already leaders who are also very excited to begin the season. Senior Kevin Zheng is one to look out for this season and is a clear leader.

“You can expect the team to give it their all and we will make an impact this season! That is a guarantee!” Kevin said.

A Varsity and Junior Varsity schedule are already being structured for the team by Athletic Director Joseph Armental; there are six scheduled matches so far. The number of matches is expected to grow in a short time.

“We are looking to building another program for the school. This one looks promising,” Mr. Armental said.

Dwight Morrow football and basketball have been the top programs and since these sports have done exceptionally well they essentially are on “auto-pilot.” The administrators and devoted coaches have made that possible but now they turn their attention to expanding the “Raider Pride” in starting and building the wrestling program.

“This year’s wrestling team is going to make history! We are the first wrestling team in 30 years for Dwight Morrow High School,” said Kevin enthusiastically with a half smile. “It will be an honor to be a part of that history.”