Hannah Mumpower, @Hlmump01
Here at Wabaunsee High, you may think that we are a very supportive community to all of the many activities offered here, but that is not the case. Some activities garner a large fan base, such as the volleyball team and the basketball teams, whereas some activities become altogether forgotten by the greater part of the student body and surrounding community — specifically the wrestling team.
While the wrestling team may only boast six members, what they lack in numbers, they make up for in might. Just this past weekend, three of the six members qualified for the state tournament. The sad part of this joyous occasion was the fact that, aside from direct family members and administrators, there were few spectators in Wabaunsee’s fan club. This is a little concerning considering the fact that the regional tournament was held in Council Grove, which is a short drive compared to many of the trips that other athletic teams travel for postseason competitions.
It is understandable that people are frequently busy on the weekends and that it is difficult to make it to every single meet or event, but the wrestling team works hard and deserves community and school support.
It is time that we as a community step up and support the wrestling team, regardless if we understand everything that’s going on or not. It would be nice to see a large fan section for Wabaunsee Wrestling this weekend in Hays, however, if this season is any indication of the community support of the wrestling team, it would not be a surprise if the few faithful fans were the only ones in attendance at the State Tournament.
Sometimes it is just the presence of a familiar face that is enough to give an extra confidence boost. As a competitor in multiple sports, I can say that my adrenaline is always boosted when I can hear encouragement and cheering. The louder, the better.
All this being said, I am not bashing any other teams here at Wabaunsee, nor am I targeting community members. I am just trying to spread awareness of the fact that some successful athletes are not being supported in the same manner that others are here at WHS. I hope this article will motivate people to at least attempt to support the wrestling team. I’m not saying you should drop everything and learn all there is to learn about wrestling, but attempting to attend a couple meets each season would mean a lot to the wrestlers and hopefully encourage more youth in the community to consider wrestling. Wrestling is a mentally and physically tough sport that can teach a person a lot about respect, hard work and discipline. Everyone should give it a chance.
You never know, you just might enjoy watching it and cheering on the Chargers.
The 3-2-1A State Wrestling Tournament will be held at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays beginning with an opening ceremony at 9:45 am Friday. Wrestling will start at 10.
The Charger 
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