Our CAA Wrestling Varsity Championship is this weekend! We reached out to Coach David Hettinger, head coach at Heritage Academy Maricopa, to see how their season has been going. This is the first year coaching for Coach David, and he works alongside William Senne as Assistant Coach and Juston Mylek as the strength and conditioning coach. This year, they are coaching twenty-four wrestlers; thirteen in Junior High and eleven in High School.
How the season has been going and their goals
“The season has been going well. We have seen some excellent performances from our veteran wrestlers and some rising talent from our new wrestlers”, said Coach David. “Our goal is to make an impact on the CAA. To have our experienced wrestlers place in state and develop our beginning wrestlers. We also hope to establish a strong program for years to come”.
Athlete Spotlights & their stats
Despite being proud of every wrestler that steps on the mat to compete, the coaches chose to shine a spotlight on this years’ captains:
Chris Senne 8th, 13-0
Alexander Mylek 7th, 10-0
Dane Adams 9th, 5-2
Christian Mylek 9th, 6-0
What it’s like competing during COVID
Wrestlers are resilient. Our wrestlers are no exception. Despite the challenges of wrestling during COVID, namely a truncated season and safety protocols, our wrestlers have adapted quickly. We are extremely excited to be on the mat this year.
Best piece of advice for the athletes
“I’m afraid any advice I give would sound like I read it off of a bumper sticker”, said Coach David, “but I’ve tried to instill in my wrestlers a few things. One, leave everything on the mat. If you have tried your hardest then even a loss can be a personal victory. Two, learn something from each match. We want to win but a loss is an opportunity to learn. Three, have fun. Wrestling is the greatest sport but if you aren’t enjoying it, why do it?”.
What being part of the CAA means to them
Being part of the CAA means working with a supportive organization. The CAA and Ms. Rigazio have been very patient and helpful as I “learn the ropes” this year. It also means working with great coaches. There is an amazing sense of camaraderie among the coaches. This lack of contention is not something that I experienced as a HS wrestler. Each of us coaches wants to win, but we also want the sport to succeed.
Thank you, Coach David! We appreciate everything you do and we look forward to seeing your athletes compete in the championship. Good luck!
