Negotiating the intense physical and mental demands of a sport like wrestling is a big key to success.
“You have to get comfortable being uncomfortable,” Glenbrook South senior John Pazmino said. “Every practice, I’ve always had that mentality. Every day you go hard and push yourself, you’re one step ahead the next day.”
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Pazmino won an individual title at 145 pounds at Saturday’s Central Suburban tournament in a 4-2 decision over Maine East’s Mario Rihani.
His coach attributes that success to the senior’s chief trait.
“It’s his work ethic,” Glenbrook South coach Tom Mietus said. “He loves wrestling and he wants to do well so he busts his butt, every single day.”
Pazmino attended Niles North for his first three years of high school before transferring to Glenbrook South.
At Niles North, Pazmino finished second at 132 as a sophomore at the CSL tournament and third at 138 last year.
Another key to his success this year has been his mental approach to matches, as Saturday’s semifinal win in overtime against Maine South’s Kyle Cacciatore showed.
Pazmino missed three weeks at midseason due to injury and the win over Cacciatore was a big step toward regaining his groove.
“Two weeks ago, I don’t know if John would have been able to dig deep and pull that out,” Mietus said. “He’s very explosive and for John it’s been about the belief that he can wrestle someone who’s good for six minutes. Now he’s not allowing those self-limiting behaviors to creep in.”
With a 17-4 record, Pazmino is having a fine season. But he knows that in order to reach the individual state finals in Champaign, a wrestler has to have the right mind-set.
“Everybody has doubt in the sport but you can’t put yourself in that bad position. It can get in your head and I’ve experienced that, where I overthought things too much,” Pazmino said.
“You have to go in there not caring about who you’re wrestling, and not worrying about it. Just go out and wrestle. I’m more relaxed now.”
Pazmino went 24-14 and was a sectional qualifier as a sophomore at 132, and he went 25-6 last year before a concussion suffered at the Class 3A Notre Dame Regional ended his junior campaign.
He knows the clock is winding down on his high school wrestling career and he intends to keep pushing with the postseason looming.
“All I’ve been telling myself is that it’s my senior year and I only have a few weeks left,” Pazmino said. “I have to give it my all, and I’m hungry for it.”
Gary Larsen is a freelancer for Pioneer Press.