Jackson wrestlers get experience of a lifetime

Published 11:16 am Monday, March 3, 2008

Graduate Ramsey Nijem, sophmore Conner Martin and coach Gustavo Anaya of the Jackson High School wrestling team weren’t sure what to expect when they arrived on Australia’s Gold Coast on July 5.

They knew they were in for the experience of a lifetime when they were greeted by a group of New Zealand wrestlers performing a traditional haka dance.

The haka is a tribal war dance based in Maori culture and performed as a sign of respect to visitors. It is also used to issue a battle challenge.

And what a battle it was.

The Jackson team was one of many from around the nation traveling to compete in the Down Under International Games on July 5-16 in Brisbane. They were part of a nine-person team, including kids from Alaska, Oregon and Washington.

The experience was a first for everyone involved, although Anaya has competed internationally before.

“I think it’s important for them to travel and get as much out of it as possible,” Anaya said.

This is Anaya’s first year as Jackson’s wrestling coach.

He and Nijem share a special bond.

As the wrestling team’s senior captain for the 2005-2006 school year, Nijem worked closely with Anaya. “In the beginning, especially, we leaned on each other a lot for support,” said Nijem.

Nijem hopes to return to Jackson in the years to come to spread his love of the sport beside his favorite coach.

Anaya felt a similar sense of pride in Nijem.

“He’s respectful, hard-working and easy to work with. He’s just a great kid,” said Anaya.

Anaya was also impressed with the performance of Nijem and Martin in the competitions.

According to Anaya, about 120 athletes participated in the Down Under Games. Every state was represented and there were a number of Australian and New Zealand natives.

“The local teams [in Washington] are a lot stronger than the Australian and New Zealand teams,” he said, “It’s definitely a huge benefit for them to be able to compete with kids from the states.”

Nijem was particularly impacted by his cultural experiences while in Australia. “It was amazing, there were kids there from all over, we all got to know each other and tell stories,” he said.

The teammates also traveled with their new-found friends to the Outback and explored Surfer’s Paradise on the Gold Coast.

However when it came to game time, it was all about competition. “You’re not friends while you’re wrestling,” said Nijem, “Afterwards you’re friends again.”

Their hard work paid off.

Nijem won second place in the individual category and competed in the 171-pound weight class, with Martin landing a sixth place spot in the 125-pound weight class. As a dual team, they finished second overall.

As he contemplated their wins, Nijem added, “They would have killed us in rugby.”