KINGSLAND, Ga. – Coming off of their 5th straight Georgia State Dual Meet Championship earlier this month, we asked head wrestling coach Jess Wilder the secret to their success.
It can be summed up in three letters; P.T.I.
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"We have an analogy of program, team, individual, P.T.I. we call it," said Wilder who is in his 12th year as the Wildcats head coach. "So what's most important for the program supercedes the team and that always supercedes the individual."
Earlier this month Camden County's program superceded every team in class 7A in the state of Georgia, dominating their way to a 50-15 win over Archer in the dual meet final. The Wildcats jumped up to class 7A this year after winning the past three state championships in class 5A. No matter the classification however, the wrestlers agree that this was the result of hard work.
"We are working almost all year round, we really don't have an offseason," said 145 pound senior Tyler Dahlgren. "We just go. I think July is the only month we take off. So it all goes back to P.T.I. You go out there and work hard and do your part and everyone else does theirs. That's how we come together as a team."
Senior Nick Krug has won two straight individual state championships and will be going for a third next month before he heads off to the Air Force Academy. He says that it is the time off the mat with his teammates that has made this year's Wildcat team so strong.
"We all hang out together after practice and we all work hard together during," said Krug. "As leadership for the seniors we have been having practice on Sundays and it is just about the bond that we have. I feel that it makes us better and encourage each other to do things by working harder and doing those extra things that make the difference."
Camden County is hoping to see that difference as they shift their focus from state dual meet titles to individual state titles. That starts this Saturday in the area tournament where the top four wrestlers in each of the 14 weight classes advance to the sectional tournament. The top four in the sectional tournament advance to the state tournament in Macon from February 13th to the 16th.