Beffa: Heading into a Strong Final Season
Sam Beffa, a wrestler at Hamilton High School, beginning a match. Photo courtesy of Mrs. Beffa.
What are your future plans in the sport?
In the future, I would like to come back to Hamilton to help coach both the youth and high school teams.
Have you improved your game in the past year?
Over this past summer, I've gotten serious about lifting weights. Also, I spent many hours going to practices through Hamilton and a private club.
What are you looking forward to this year in wrestling?
I'm really looking forward to the end of the season when all the hard work the team puts in gets paid off. I'm hoping many of us will advance from regionals to sectionals and even state.
What hobbies do you do outside of school?
I like to tinker and build things. I have worked on cars with my dad, built a wood table in the garage, and played around with an Arduino.
When did you start getting involved in wrestling?
I first started wrestling in the third grade because a few of my friends were in the sport.
What are some of your interests outside of wrestling?
I've started to get into weight lifting (not just for wrestling). I play Xbox in my free time. Also, I like to work on and learn about cars.
What's your warm-up routine?
We start out with a jog, then move into some tumbling. After that, we do some static stretches. Every practice starts with that usually followed by some takedown drills.
Is this the first sport you played/ was this your first choice? Describe your journey to finding this sport?
I played soccer starting out in 5K when I was at a private school in West Allis. Soon after I moved to Sussex in the 3rd grade, I met Preston Olson and Matt Gierach who were both wrestlers. They convinced me to come try it out and from then on I've been in love with the sport.
Why do you continue to play this sport?
The sport is an amazing combination of mental and physical strength. It's not easy to step out on the mat with just you and your opponent. After the match, the only person to blame or celebrate is yourself. You get back what you put into the sport.
What would be your ultimate achievement for this sport, ever?
My main goal right now is to qualify for state. It's the one goal every youth wrestler hopes to achieve one day. The state tournament is the top 16 wrestlers at each weight class in the state.
What’s your most memorable experience in wrestling?
My most memorable experience is when I failed to qualify for state last year. I felt let down that I hadn't worked hard enough to achieve my goal; however, I was pushed to work even harder this year than last year to achieve my goal since it is my last shot.
What advice do you have for younger athletes playing your sport?
Stick with it. There will be tough days and easy days, but when you endure and push yourself farther than you ever thought possible, it is highly rewarding.
