The depths of January

January is a very peculiar month for high school wrestlers. Take wrestling out of the equation and January is difficult for students all by itself.

Many kids returning to school from Christmas break experience an emotional let down going back after time off with family and friends. It can take weeks to get back into the routine of school. When they finally get back into the swing of things, the semester ends. Students then get a new set of classes and are forced to create an entirely new routine. Often times, relationships with other students are affected because of the change in routines. High level athletes are creatures of routine. On top of this, January is the coldest month of the year and has the least amount of sunlight. The middle of a frigid winter begins to take a toll on everyone. Add to all of this the demands of the wrestling season and things get strange.

January is the first full month of practice and competition and the "grind" sets in. November and December schedules are broken up with major holidays and family time, but January tends to become monotonous. Additionally, the work load and volume in the early weeks of January breaks down athletes physically and mentally and, as a result, individual performances leave much to be desired. Some take difficult loses at this time and others become discouraged while others choose to go down a weight class.

It's crucial that student-athletes are equipped to handle the adversity that takes place during this month if they desire to reach their goals at the end of the season. Come February, things change as athletes begin to prepare for tournament time. However, if they get stuck in the depths in January, they might not be able to recover mentally to enjoy the success that could come during a physical peak. Coaches are responsible to help athletes maintain a healthy perspective at all times and the demands for this are greatest in January.