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04/09/2024 02:00 AMMason Mansur has stayed grounded in a short stint with wrestling and taken things with a piecemeal approach. That head space has allowed him to get a leg up on his competition and rapidly rise throughout the ranks of the North Haven wrestling team.
The junior 126-pound grappler actually did not step foot into any other athletic arena until a couple years ago, when the North Haven program was just getting off the ground. After being encouraged by his father, a former high school wrestler himself, Mason made way and followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the Nighthawks’ inaugural team last winter. This year, Mason made marked improvements and stepped up as a fiery leader in only his sophomore soiree on the mats.
“It is such a mentally tough sport, but I love to just keep trying and continue to get better. You really have to work your butt off to get far in this sport, and I like that aspect of it,” says Mason. “My coaches have been a big part of my success by pushing me to be the best wrestler I can be. I keep getting better and better every day because of them.”
Head Coach Peter Tseperkas explains that Mason has made tremendous leaps on the mat for the first year to his follow-up effort. More importantly in terms of the room and the squad’s atmosphere, his progression has been a source of inspiration to his teammates while being a vocal presence.
“Mason has shown tremendous growth as a wrestler and is one of the most respected members of our team because of his work ethic and positive attitude. He’s been a pleasure to coach,” says Tseperkas. “Mason is not one of the super stars or captains, yet he’s a kid who hasn’t really had much success until this year, and it was through a ton of hard work and dedication. Mason is the kid who gets our team fired up, and he’s the motivational guy.”
Mason details that actually the defeats are something that can build up a young man in the squared circle. He says no matter how the loss occurs, he is learning from the best grapplers in the Nutmeg state and uses a great maturation and perspective to bounce back and be better.
“One of the hardest parts of the sport is dealing with losing, because you will always come up against guys with better skills than you,” Mason says. “I just take a breath, walk away, and make sure to try again. I just use the loss as a motivational tool to come back and do better.”
Mason hit a major milestone personally this year right off the jump, when he tacked down a major victory versus a nearby program. While harnessing some swagger from that signature triumph, he also draws upon the passion and motivation of his fellow colleagues.
“This year, I won my match against Morgan, and it was my first-ever victory by pin fall. It gave me so much confidence and pushed me that much more,” Mason says. “When you are with a team, you are not only pushing yourself but also your teammates. When you find people who are so passionate about the sport and so kind, you stick with them to make yourself better. It is a big thing to surround yourself with other people who also want to do better.”
Mason is not the only entity who has made some major strides upwards within the field of competitive high school wrestling. He is following the motif of his entire program, who did not let the inferior amount of experience compared to fellow SCC schools intimidate them.
“We have grown so much as a team compared to last year. We just stepped up our game and started dominating,” Mason says. “I am very proud of my team and teammates for stepping up and improving altogether.”
The grind of grappling year-round shows no signs of slowing down in Mason’s mind, as he prepares for his senior year. He hopes it will all lead to a sensational send-off season with plenty of personal accolades on his way out the door.
“I am looking to focus on getting better with wrestling moving forward,” says Mason. “I am looking to join some camps in the offseason. Away from wrestling, I want to keep my grades up, too. I look to also keep continuing my wrestling training so that by the time I get to my senior year, I can try to dominate.”
Arguably, wrestling is the sport which can be the most humbling one. Yet through that, it can mold someone into an individual with the mentality and psyche of a warrior. Mason explains that nothing can keep him down mentally or physically going forward, thanks to the trials and tribulations on the mats.
“I have learned to just keep my head up and move on after both wins and losses,” Mason says. “You have to think like that, because who knows, you might turn into a great wrestler one day if you stick with it. It is a very tough sport mentally and physically, so I am going to just keep pushing forward and getting better every day.”