Months of early mornings, intense practices, and weekend competitions have paid off for Derek Klinkner.
The Two Rivers High School wrestler qualified for the state tournament, marking one of the biggest moments of his athletic career following a season defined by hard work, mental toughness, and long hours in the wrestling room.
“I think it’s pretty cool,” Klinkner said about qualifying for state. “It’s not only a personal, you know, achievement, but it also shows for, like, a team how hard you are working every day in that room, and it’s a good thing that shows hard work does pay off.”
The path to the state tournament was not easy, especially during the most demanding part of the season.
“In the middle of the season when the practices really get tough and you’re grinding every day and it’s really hard mentally,” he said. “But to just keep overcoming that and get out there and battle on the weekends.”
With the postseason comes added pressure, larger crowds, and higher stakes, but Klinkner relies on a grounded mindset to manage the moment.
Rather than changing his approach, he focuses on staying calm and treating each match the same as any other.
“At the end of the day, it’s just another wrestling match,” he said. “Even all the people that’ll be around, way more than on the weekends, just the biggest thing’s gotta go into it, knowing it’s just a normal wrestling match, you and another guy.”
Looking ahead to the state tournament, Derek tells us his goals remain simple.
“I hope to place, wrestle competitively, and see what happens,” he said.
Derek is joined in Madison by his teammates Max Mathias and Angie Bianchi, with the competition beginning this afternoon.
The Division 1 and Girls Preliminaries will start at 2:00 p.m., followed by the quarterfinals at around 4:30.
The Division 2 and 3 Preliminaries are anticipated to begin at around 6:00 p.m., with the quarterfinals at 8:00.
