Knee slide! Head up, knee slide! I attended the U of D Wrestling Senior Night on January 10, I was shocked to see the level of physicality and intensity the players bring every night. The Cubs participated in a home meet headlined by matchups with two Catholic League rivals: Orchard Lake St. Mary’s and Brother Rice. Senior captain Joseph Stachelek in particular was very impressive. He won his first match against Brother Rice convincingly with a pin merely a minute into the match. Joseph’s wrestling career at U of D is one to remember as he has made his marks in the record books at the High, most notably surpassing one hundred career wins last week and being fifteen wins away from the school record. Last season, the team fell short of qualifying for the Michigan state tournament. However, Joseph qualified as an individual, becoming part of an elite selection of wrestlers state-wide. Ask Joseph, however, and he’ll play it off as if it were nothing. In fact, he might even say he has more important things to worry about.
Joseph participates in all aspects of school. As a 5-year man, he checks the boxes as the Sergeant in Arms of the Student Senate, a two-sport varsity athlete, and a National Honor Society student. He epitomizes a hard-working U of D man who chooses to be active in school affairs. Joseph was elected as the Sergeant in Arms of the Student Senate in May 2023 after several months of campaigning and promoting himself. He now works to improve the school experience for students as one of five chosen to be a part of the Senate. Additionally, Joseph is able to maintain a 4.0+ GPA while playing soccer in the Fall and wrestling in the Winter. None of this comes easy though. Any student athlete will tell you that balance comes with a great deal of sacrifice. Practices and games get in the way of schoolwork often forcing personal free time to give in. U of D is known for its rigorous school expectations and its competitive sports teams. Succeeding in both areas is an incredible accomplishment in and of itself. However, Joseph recognizes that the success of his high school experience couldn’t have come without a great deal of struggle and failure. ” I have failed thousands of times,” he notes, ”That is why I succeed.”
Despite wrestling in his last home meet, Joseph’s season is far from over. ”It’s my last one. I’m gonna make it count.” Joseph sets his standards high for his senior season. His eyes are clearly fixed on one goal: ”I want to be state champion.” Joseph hopes to end his high school season on a high note, but there is no denying that he has already exceeded all expectations and surpassed his limitations. He has impacted everything he has touched and should be remembered within the school as more than just an athlete. As a childhood friend of mine and former neighbor, I have enjoyed watching his success and seeing his improvements throughout the years. Joseph understands that his time at U of D is ending and hopes he has made the most of it. He noted that he is incredibly proud of his team for making so much progress throughout the years and hopes that he leaves behind a legacy that his teammates can follow on and off the mats. Joseph has shown his stripes as a leader of men at a school full of leaders.