Christopher High wrestler chosen for Japan trip

Logan Corona will come from a extended line of wrestlers in Gilroy that spans 5 a long time.

The Christopher Substantial School junior’s father, Matt, is an completed wrestler himself, possessing wrestled at the Division I level in college, as effectively as taking pleasure in a prosperous coaching vocation for 10 a long time at Gilroy Higher underneath then-coach Greg Varela, and now as an assistant at Christopher.

Corona, as a 9-12 months-outdated in 2015, witnessed his father protected a location at the Globe Championships in Athens, Greece, expressing that he “was seriously very pleased of him” in a Gilroy Dispatch write-up.

Now, Corona is carrying the torch.

Corona was chosen as a person of 13 substantial school wrestlers in the state to be a element of Group United states in a 10-day cultural exchange trip to Japan in June.

At the time there, Corona and his team will contend in dual meets, apply with significant-degree Japanese wrestlers and soak in the culture by staying with a relatives.

“It’s a excellent honor,” he mentioned. “I see it as my way of carrying on the legacy that my father imparted on to me.”

Corona explained he listened to about the trade software by California Usa Wrestling as a freshman as a result of his mate, who had been selected for it. Seeking to use himself, Corona experienced to wait until eventually this calendar year, as the application experienced resumed following a Covid-19 suspension.

As portion of the application approach, Corona wrote an essay about what wrestling intended to him and why he wished to vacation to Japan. The athletes were being chosen not only on their wrestling techniques, but also on being a “good citizen and agent,” in accordance to the California Usa Wrestling web page.

And Corona has undoubtedly checked all people containers.

He medaled in each individual match he competed in during the common time this year, his father stated, profitable the match title at the Watsonville Apple Cider Invitational, a finalist at the Blossom Valley Athletic League Championships, inserting 3rd in the CCS Southern Regionals, and 3rd in the CCS Masters tournament, qualifying for the condition championships in the 182-pound weight course.  

When at the condition tournament, Corona was nominated and chosen for the Pursuing Victory with Honor Sportsmanship award for his body weight course and just lately obtained the Cougar Character Counts Award from the athletic office at Christopher Large, Matt claimed.

Corona stated he was happy of what he achieved this season, but added that he fell short of his objective of inserting in the point out tournament.

“I’m not actually disappointed, I’m extra hungry for coaching in the off-year to max out my chances for successful the match subsequent year,” he reported.

Speaking all through a crack in track observe on March 15, Corona explained he’s imagining about joining the school’s h2o polo crew next year. But wrestling is his existence, he mentioned. 

It was not often that way, nevertheless. As a younger boy or girl, Corona claimed he struggled with the activity, disappointed with a “pretty negative dropping streak.”

Even so, when he resolved to fully dedicate himself about 5 several years back, the transformation was obvious.

“I acquired so upset and angry to a point in which I said, if I’m going to hold accomplishing this, I may well as perfectly be superior at it,” he said. “That’s when I started off putting in every single bit of effort that I could. When I did that, it actually clicked with me.”

Corona explained wrestling does not get as considerably recognition as it need to. He extra that the wrestling neighborhood is pretty welcoming, and helps mature an individual’s mental and physical toughness.

“It really is 1 of the biggest, if not the best sport on the earth,” he mentioned. “We change out some tricky guys and women.”

Corona is at present fundraising to aid fund the journey fees of $4,000. Donations can be built by way of Venmo at @CoronaTime, or checks made out to Matt Corona with the memo “donation-Logan Corona” and sent to PO Box 2290, Gilroy, CA 95021.