Nathen Schmidt of Carlyle who graduated from Gordon F. Kells High School is in his first year of post-secondary at the University of Regina is working towards a Kinesiology Degree and is finding early success on the wrestling mat for the Cougars collegiate team.
“I came with an injury to my knee and had to have surgery in September to have my meniscus repaired,” Schmidt explained. “But, I started wrestling and training towards the end of December, right before the Christmas break.”
The young man rehabbed his knee and got back into training in time for the wrestling season, which started in January.
“That first week of January we went down to the States to wrestle,” Schmidt said. “I didn’t do super good, but I didn’t do bad either. I won my first match and lost my next two; but, it was good to be able to compete at that high level and to be back on the mat. It was nice too that we were in the States because although I represented the Cougars the wins and losses didn’t affect my standings. It was just a good way to get back into it.”
From there Schmidt competed in Edmonton where he continued to wrestle well.
“I placed fifth in my weight class. I had went two and two, so won two and lost two, but I wrestled some really good guys and lost in close matches. One of the matches was 5-5 and I just lost on criteria and the other match I lost was 4-3. So, I wasn’t blown out of the water and it was very competitive. That experience gave me some things to work on and from there I just kept training.”
“I dealt with a few little injuries, a pulled muscle, basically it was just my body getting used to tournamenting at such a high level.”
Schmidt competed at a meet in Fraser Valley at the end of January where he lost out in the final, but says he was confident in the way he wrestled.
Then came the Canada West competition, which he had hoped he would work towards winning in his second or third year with the Cougars; but, he was able to obtain this goal in his first year.
“I competed at Canada West, our conferences, in the 68 kg event, I usually wrestle in the 65 kg… so I was smaller than most of my competition, but I wrestled really well and won,” Schmidt stated excitedly. “It’s very prestigious and had been a goal of mine to win in the future, I never expected to win it in my first year. First, second, and third place there then qualify for the U Sports Championship, which was held in Sault St. Marie, Ontario.”
“I wrestled well there although my results don’t really show it, I lost my three matches and came away in seventh place, but I was the only rookie in my category and I was wrestling against guys that were in their 20s with beards,” Schmidt laughed.
“Overall it’s been such a great experience and I’ve learned a lot already. Each of my losses as well, I can take and work on different things for next year.”
“My biggest take away this year was definitely the difference in competing and preparing. In high school I trained hard, but it was really nothing compared to here. I thought I had pushed myself and trained hard, but now I’m in the best shape of my life – that’s including competing in football, martial arts, and when I wrestled in high school.”
“The coach here is awesome too. He really pushes us and is hard on us as a coach, but he also treats you like family.”
Although Schmidt’s first year with the Cougars is complete he is now participating in club wrestling where he recently competed in Provincials and plans to attend Jr. Nationals in Montreal.
“Provincials in Saskatoon is basically the U of R versus the U of S,” he said. “It’ll be a fun competition and a good way to warm up for Nationals.”
“A goal of mine since I started to wrestle is still to win Nationals and represent Team Canada, so my plan right now is to compete and see if I can come out ahead.”
This goal is within reach after becoming the Junior (19U) 70 kg Provincial Champion and the Senior (19+) 65 kg second place/provincial finalist during the weekend of March 10.
