Council Rock South wrestler Kyle Waterman stands tall in facing adversity
The junior has already lost more matches than he did all of last season, but he hopes to excel in the postseason.
Kyle Waterman was heavy into soccer when he was in middle school, and he played all-year around for the FC Bucks in Richboro.
He also wrestled a bit on the side. But he didn’t enjoy it much.
However, Waterman’s older brother, Collin, wrestled at Council Rock South, and Waterman’s attitude about wrestling improved as he cheered on Collin from the bleachers.
“Probably one of the first matches that I went to was to watch my brother,” Waterman said.
It was a revelation for him, and he knew he had to get involved.
“The fans are great, all of the parents," Waterman said. "It was just the environment of our wrestling coaches.”
Waterman soon got a front-row seat to that wrestling world of Council Rock South because he went to practices with Collin and worked out unofficially with the high school team while he was at Holland Middle School. He routinely wrestled against boys older than him.
Two years later, Waterman gave up soccer to focus on wrestling and follow in his brother’s footsteps. He did not start his freshman year but still was able to gain valuable experience.
When Waterman got his chance to start on the varsity team as a sophomore, he earned a 44-6 record and racked up plenty of accolades at 106 pounds. He finished second in the Suburban One National conference tournament, second in District 1, was a regional champion and placed fifth in the PIAA Class 3A individuals.
This season as a junior, Waterman, who has competed primarily at 113 pounds, has already lost more matches than he did all of last season. But coach Brad Silimperi said he knows why that is.
“I preach to my kids there’s a reason why you don’t wrestle the district, regional, and state tournament the first three weeks of the season,” he said. “In the regular season, you’re supposed to make mistakes. You’re supposed to have temporary setbacks. That’s the only way you get better.”
Waterman suffered his most disappointing finish at the King of the Mountain competition in Central Pennsylvania in December. He didn’t place at all, which was new territory for him.
Waterman recalled a conversation he had with his father and Silimperi after the tournament.
“That was pretty upsetting, and I was just very mad,” Waterman said. “I talked to my coaches and my dad and tried to put the pressure out of my head and keep going. Just wrestle and have fun. I think I was giving myself too much pressure.”
“Last year was a lot different than this year. In the beginning of [last] year, probably for more than half the season, I only had one loss. I was in the finals at every tournament. Every match was close if I lost. This year, it’s just a lot different because I’ve lost a couple more times, and I just put them off to the side, keep focusing because I know I’m going down to 106. [I] focus on postseason and states. I just try not to think of other things to keep me down.”
Waterman wants to wrestle at the Division I college level and has already made visits to George Mason and Princeton and plans on visiting Davidson after the season.
As the postseason starts, Waterman improved his record to 26-7 with two wins Friday night and another on Saturday in the PIAA District 1 Class 3A tournament. He also won last weekend in the Suburban One National Conference tournament.
The junior has made adjustments to his weight and will wrestle at 106 pounds during the postseason.
“I have a lot of confidence that I can win states at 106 [pounds],” he said. “If I wrestle at my best, have no pressure and have fun, I can win states.”