As he walked under the spotlight, junior Jackson Chandler saw his favorite teacher, Rebecca Hanson, sitting beside his coaches on the bench. He knew that she was there to support him no matter the outcome of the match. Many wrestlers shared similar experiences at this year’s teacher appreciation match.

“I was excited to let the teachers see what the students were like, not just inside the classroom but while doing what they were passionate about,” assistant coach Matthew Parent said. “Also, for many teachers, this was their first wrestling match, and being able to guide them through what was happening during the match helped shine a new light on the sport as a whole.”

West Henderson’s wrestling team has started this wrestling season with 11 wins, but they’ve been trying to get the school more involved. Coach Michael Connelly decided the best way to do that would be to have each wrestler invite a faculty member to a match.

“It’s also really good to invite the faculty to the match because it boosts team morale and shows our wrestlers that the school supports them,” Parent said.

After winning the match against Tuscola, Connelly had all of the teachers in attendance come into the middle and break it down with the team.

“I feel like since everybody was there with the spotlight on us, it changed the entire atmosphere of the match. Especially since Mrs. (Rebecca) Hanson was there, it gave me confidence and the want to win for her and West Henderson,” Chandler said.

By: Lawrence Whittington, Feature Writer