Chapman Blocks His Way to All-State Honors
Whether he’s in the trenches or on the mat, Mark Chapman gives every ounce of energy that he has as an athlete at Guilford High School. Mark’s unrelenting effort as a lineman helped him pave his way to a historic accolade with the Indians’ football team.
Mark, a sophomore, is a two-way lineman who also competes in the 285-pound weight class for the Guilford wrestling squad. Last fall, Mark’s steadfast presence up front resulted in him making the All-Southern Connecticut Conference Tier 3 Team and the Connecticut High School Coaches Association All-State Team as an offensive lineman. Mark became the first Guilford football player to make All-State in more than decade, while helping the Indians finish with a record of 6-4, marking their first winning season since 2000.
“It is an amazing honor and something you don’t expect,” says Mark of his All-SCC and All-State distinctions. “My coaches and teammates kept pushing me, and I kept pushing myself. I get a lot of conditioning through football that helps with wrestling. I get hand and foot coordination, which helps with blocking for football. My agility and speed through football helps me wrestle.”
Mark shares a special bond with his fellow linemen that goes way beyond the hashmarks. Mark says the camaraderie among his colleagues fuels his engine when he’s protecting some of the pivotal pieces in Guilford’s offense.
“I love being so close with the other guys on the line. We go to Buffalo Wild Wings every Tuesday and hang out,” Mark says. “The responsibility of protecting the quarterback and running back can be a big burden to carry. Playing both lines helps me with conditioning. You also get a feel for what the other line is trying to do. I can tell if plays will have a pass or run block.”
Mark used to feel jitters when it came time to compete, but he’s built up his confidence through the encouragement of his coaches. Mark has also built himself up physically by hitting the gym. As a result, he’s able to bulldoze his way through opposing linemen.
“I had anxiety, but I’ve overcome that now due to my coaches and exercising,” says Mark. “I’ve also gotten in the gym a lot and have gotten a lot stronger. It’s all paid off pretty well for me.”
Guilford wrestling Head Coach Craig Vedrani says that Mark not only showed class as a competitor this winter, but also displayed his dedication to the mat by battling through various hardships.
“Mark is a very high-character athlete that works hard and is determined to succeed. He is a polite, respectful young man that any coach would love to have on their team,” says Vedrani. “He tried to wrestle through a hamstring injury this year, so we had to shut him down for about a month. He worked extremely hard rehabbing and working on his upper body in the weight room. Mark got sick and was unable to wrestle in SCCs and states, but his determination, work ethic, and loyalty to our team were impressive this year.”
As he enters the latter half of his high school career, Mark wants the Guilford football team to follow up last year’s success with another quality campaign in 2019. Mark appreciates all the support that the Indians received every step of the way during their recent benchmark season.
“The Guilford football program is one of the closest families I’ve been in. It is a community within itself with the parents and fans,” Mark says. “This year, we had so much support from the students at Guilford High School. It feels so good when you have big crowds cheering you on Friday nights.”