Sports

Catching Up with Ryan Gerondel

Former Sachem North student athlete is wrestling at Division I Binghamton.

Last year when , the theme was being an old school athlete who likes to switch things up and take on challenges.

Eight months later, the Sachem North alum is knee deep in college wrestling at SUNY Binghamton, the 23rd ranked Division I program in the nation and last year's Colonial Athletic Association champions.

So far, he's 2-7 in his freshman season and the Bearcats are 7-2 as a team, rattling off five straight wins before going on a brief winter break.

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At Sachem, Gerondel was an All-State wrestler who amassed 112 wins and just 17 losses in his career. He also played football and ran track.

This week, Sachem Patch caught up with Gerondel on a Facebook chat ...

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Chris R. Vaccaro: You're done with your first semester at Binghamton. Give me your initial thoughts on the academic and athletic life of being a Division I athlete.

Ryan Gerondel: Division I athletics, put together with the academics of Binghamton, which is very competitive, makes a lot of things a lot harder. The lifestyle is pretty much being up early, working out for wrestling, going all day, doing school work and ending with a three-hour practice. Then as you're tired from a long day of all that, you have to study what you learned each day so it's really hectic.

CRV: What was it like during your first collegiate match? Did you feel pressure, did you think about your days at Sachem at all?

RG: My first college match was nothing like high school. For one, the matches are longer. Every match is close and so intense at all times. There are never any blow outs. I was nervous all week, but once I got out there I felt at home on the mat and was really confident with everything. I wrestled the 28th ranked guy in the nation and I was winning the whole match until 20 seconds left. That annoyed me but you know it's all a learning experience. I felt a little pressure because our team is so good, so I feel I have to step up in that sense. I always think about my Sachem wrestling days. That's my past and I had a great one but I have to look forward to my bright future.

CRV: You went to the Sachem North dual meet the other night against William Floyd. What was it like being back in Lake Ronkonkoma?

RG: It was awesome. I missed being home even though I love being at school up there. Being around town just made me remember high school. It was great because I had everyone coming up to me asking me how things are and how I'm wrestling in college. Also watching the meet made me kind of upset that I couldn't be out there and missed the whole thrill of wrestling in high school, but college is a whole other animal in that sense.

CRV: A lot of former college wrestlers tell me hitting the mat at the Division I level, any level for that matter, may take away from the college experience. What are your assessments of how the sport affects the rest of your college life?

RG: Absolutely it takes away from the "normal" college experience but my idea on that whole thing is that I'm just getting a different college experience than everyone else and in my mind it's worth it.

CRV: Good mindset, you have to stay positive at all times. Plus, you're getting one heck of a workout, which is more than most college kids. So you picked up your first career victory in the third meet of the season against Sacred Heart, what was that like?

RG: Getting that first win out of the way was such a great weight lifted off my shoulders and I could finally get that stress off. Getting my hand raised at the end of the match felt like what I'm used to doing but it felt more professional in a way.

CRV: Since losing to Northern Iowa Nov. 27, Binghamton rattled off five straight wins, including ones against Army and Ohio. How's the team morale been and do you think that win streak will continue in January?

RG: The team morale is great, we're all pretty close and mainly younger guys, so I think that contributes to how hungry we are and how we have a chip on all our shoulders. The streak is definitely going to continue into January.

CRV: I remember when we spoke last year you wanted to go to Binghamton because it has the potential to be one of the better programs in the land. Now being around it for almost four months, how much more real does that seem?

RG: Our team can go toe-to-toe with any team in the nation and all of us on the team know it. We work a lot harder than a lot of these wrestling teams we compete against and the thing is these other teams know it. How intense we are in the room in practice, carries right over into matches and teams are noticing and putting a target on our back.

CRV: What kind of goals have you set for yourself and what has the coaching staff set as goals for the team?

RG: The coaching staff has the goal of finishing 15 or lower in the nation but the team changed that, thinking we can break the top 10 in the national tourney. My personal goal is to work to All-American status before I graduate. Becoming an All-American in wrestling is one of the greatest achievements in wrestling.

CRV: How about away from the mat ... what kind of things can you do in Binghamton?

RG: There are malls everywhere, nature preserves, a ton of places to eat, a city downtown, and pretty much the same stuff as on Long Island, except for 7/11s, which is annoying. ::He laughs::

CRV: Yeah, 7/11s always come in handy. Well, thanks for taking the time to talk with me. I appreciate it and wish you the best of luck the rest of the season.

RG: No problem, Chris. Thanks for the interview.


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