By Brayden Haley ’25
Earlier this year, the Beverly High School wrestling team finished off their 2022-2023 season with a 36th-place finish at the All-State Championship. Although they came up short of first place, similar to every other team who was seeking it, the wrestlers showcased their skills to their spectators, coaches, and teammates and proved that they were still a force to be reckoned with.
Making their home in the field house on their big blue mats, the wrestling team stormed past the opposing teams in an amazing fashion. Using cunning strategies and tactical prowess, they could find stellar ways to make the pin and get the victory. A lot of people believe that wrestling is a brutal, unforgiving, and downright weird sport, but many others find it to be entertaining and can cite that it is one of the most physically and mentally-wearing sports on the planet, allowing the wrestlers to obtain more respect from their followers.
Gino Sicari, one of the headliners of the BHS wrestling team, can attest to the fact that good things can come out of wrestling, and its “unjust” nature. I had the opportunity to interview this outstanding athlete and acquired deeper insight into his decision-making and reasoning that led him to his wrestling career and the personal experiences that came alongside it.
Q. When did you decide that you wanted to start wrestling?
Gino: Freshman year. The coach talked to the football team and at the time I just wanted it to help me become a better football player, but I started really taking it seriously at the end of my sophomore year and said goodbye to football.
Q. How did you prepare/practice for a match?
Gino: This is kind of a funny one, but I do actually have a pre-match ritual sort of thing. Before every match, I listen to “I Wanna Be Like You” (the monkey song) from the Jungle Book. It’s kind of like my good luck charm. Maybe it loosens me up, but it’s just a silly thing that I need to do before a competition.
Q. Where do you see yourself in the future? Will you continue wrestling?
Gino: Well I would definitely say I’ll be wrestling in college, and then competing on a national level at any division would be sick, but after that, I think coming back to coach a team would be a pretty cool experience. I know the impact my coaches have had on me and I want to have the same impact on other kids.
Q. What was your favorite moment(s) of the 2022-2023 wrestling season?
Gino: My favorite moment this year was beating the kids from the year prior. I jumped from a kid who was 15-12 and not qualifying for a state tournament, to a kid who’s 40-7 and top-four in Mass. That being said, I’ve had to kind of get “revenge” a lot this year and it’s nice to see it all finally get put together. Winning was probably my favorite part of the year. You could ask my team. I’m obsessed with the thought of winning!
Q. What drew you to wrestling? What do you like about it?
Gino: Honestly, I couldn’t tell you. I just like it. I like the hard work aspect about the grind, I like that it’s not easy, and not everyone could cut the weight and come in and work hard every day. It’s a huge mental chess game and it definitely pays a toll on everyone as well as it being a sort of material art wrestling that is very strong in MMA and has dominated the sport. I like MMA and the UFC. I also used to want to fight MMA so that also drew me in for sure.
Although it can be seen as a cruel sport by some that watch it, wrestling actually has a beneficial impact on the ones that partake in it. It can provide them with a refuge from personal matters or it can just be a place where you are allowed to show off your competitive nature. However, many can agree that wrestling can be slotted into the rankings of having one of the most talented and tough groups of athletes in the world that are eager to get the job done and show everyone that it partly still is just about having fun.
