Wrestler Mohamed Kadry ’17 is no stranger to big moments.
On December 10, the Deerfield wrestling team faced rivals Tabor Academy , a strong team that boasted a 20-1-0 win record only two seasons ago. A thick tension permeated the air as Kadry lined up to wrestle Tabor’s Alexandre Zhange. All other matchups had been finished and the meet came down to this bout— if Kadry won, Deerfield would win the competition.
“The start of the match was tumultuous,” reflected Kadry on his match. “But I secured a pin in the first period and walked away with a victory.”
Kadry’s victory marked Deerfield’s first win against Tabor in over ten years, a success that marks an upward trend in Deerfield’s wrestling program in the past few years. Only three years ago, the Athletic Department was considering pulling the plug on the wrestling co-curricular— that same year Kadry came into the program as a freshman. The team currently is comprised of around fifteen students. Lead by Head Coach Mark Scandling and Assistant Coaches Edrik Lopez, and Mark Teustch, the team is now one of the stronger schools in New England.
A wrestler’s success in a season is determined by three different factors: league record, placement at “Class A’s” (a midseason tournament), and performance at the New Englands Championship if the wrestler can qualify through his/her success in the league and/or Class A’s.
Based on these measurements of success, Kadry admits that his first two years of wrestling were difficult and humbling. “My first year, I lost almost every match, and did not secure a place at Class A’s,” Kadry recalls. “My second year, I sustained a concussion early in the season, so I did not wrestle.”
He defines his third year on the team as his upturn, because he not only he recovered from his injury, but also earned enough success to place at Class A’s and wrestle at the New England tournament. Similarl to Deerfield’s wrestling program, Kadry has his own story of improvement over time.
This year he is wrestling in the 138-pound class. Notably, as co-captain and a four-year wrestler, Kadry finds himself assuming a leadership role for less experienced members of the team. “If anyone has doubts about a move, I help them out,” he said. “After practice, I’ve had other teammates come to me to spar a bit or practice a move that they’ve wanted to refine.”
“Mohamed is a very hard worker and I see him every day putting his all into every practice,” Kishor Bharadwaj ’19 said. “I see him come off the mat every time covered in sweat, and I know he’s one of the hardest workers on the team. He sets an example.”
Bharadwaj also noted Kadry’s fierce competitive spirit. “Anytime someone tries to pin him you can see him get really angry and slam the mat – he always does that.” Kadry has an undeniable, intense passion for wrestling, and this passion represents the persistent nature of Deerfield’s wrestling program.
Kadry is sure to be a centerpiece of success for his team this year.