This July, SCH Senior Nasir Yard traveled to North Dakota to represent Pennsylvania in the biggest high school wrestling tournament in the country. Nasir did this because he wanted to challenge himself and go up against the best of his age. After a long road of difficult matches and tournaments, he was able to qualify for the big one.
At the US Marine Corps Junior Nationals, wrestlers compete in a different style than they are used to. When asked about the different training needed for a tournament of this style wrestler Sean Brett ‘25 said, “During the wrestling season it is a whole different style of wrestling called folk style. The tournament Nasir competed in in Fargo was Greco-Roman. He would have to practice multiple times a day throughout the week just to learn that new style of wrestling, making sure he knows the rules of this style and staying on top of his conditioning which is one of the most important parts of wrestling.”
Yard said, “The preparation for that was about two, three months every day leading up to it. Every day I started at 12 o’clock. We’d run from the Palestra to the Rocky Steps and back, which were clocked in about three or four miles. Then we’d break and have a meeting and have another practice sometime after that one.”
Yard commented on how the competition at this tournament differed from competition he sees in the Inter-Ac. He said, “The intensity was big. It was kids from all over the country, all for one goal to win it. You just have more emphasis on winning.”
These wrestlers are used to competing at schools close by, not needing to travel and spend time away overnight for a tournament. Brett said, “Traveling across states definitely has a toll, maybe, like, sleeping adjustment, different hours that can all have a toll. Being out of state to whom, it’s not like you wake up and are five minutes from where you’re wrestling, you might have had an hour drive which means you have to wake up earlier. Just all that comes into play.”
What is next up for Nasir Yard? Yard plans to to win an All-American title, compete at the
Prep National Tournament, and commit to
wrestle in college. This tournament taught him how to compete against the best in the
country. He was able to meet many great wrestlers and coaches from around the world and hopefully learn from them.
Coming up at the beginning of February 2025 will be the Prep National Wrestling tournament. A couple of our SCH wrestlers will be working hard to try and qualify for this next big tournament. Some will also be working to make an ALL-American at the end of the season.
