Every day, Robb Rodriguez knows at least one thing: After school, six hours of his day will be dedicated to wrestling.
Whether it’s at the mat or running down the street, six hours of Rodriguez’s day is dedicated to making him the best wrestler he can be. And the San Benito junior, who has gone 20-6 so far this year, doesn’t mind spending a fourth of his day doing working out.
“I work as hard as I can,” he said. “I practice all the time. I’m always in the room, really, or I’m lifting and running. It’s not a schedule, but whatever comes and whatever I have time for.
So far, all of that hard work has paid off on the mat. Despite working through some injuries this year, Rodriguez has stepped out as a team leader and the most consistent wrestler on the squad.
“He is one of those guys. He is not a flashy guy, but he gets the job down,” head coach Brian DeCarli said. “Kids like Robbie, you don’t forget about, but you always consider him a sure thing. You know he is going to be in there. He won’t win every match, but we know what we are going to get out of him. He is going to be solid. The best thing you can have is consistency, and more or less, we know what we were going to get out of him.”
And that consistent ability is something Rodriguez has slowly built during his three years in the San Benito wrestling program. All three years have been monitored by DeCarli, who believes Rodriguez is “on the cusp” of being one of the best wrestlers in the section.
“I’ve just seen a growth in him – I had him since he was a freshman,” DeCarli said. “I knew him as an eighth-grader. Since he came into the program, he has always been in the varsity lineup. What I’ve noticed is that he has grown up as far as – not really in his mental makeup, that’s always been there – but as far as his work ethic. It was never struggling, but as you get older you’re more comfortable with your own abilities and you don’t have to rely on other people.”
That element has allowed Rodriguez to become someone worth following on the team, DeCarli said.
“It’s 4:03 (p.m.) right now, and I bet you he is getting the kids ready without me being there,” DeCarli said looking at his watch. “That’s more of a confidence thing. It’s his third year in the program and he is comfortable with where he is at.”
Rodriguez relishes that leadership role.
“It’s pretty – it feels good,” he said. “But at the same time, I have to do everything right. I need to show them the right way to do everything. I can’t slack or everyone else will. I have to be at my 100 percent all the time.”
In practice, DeCarli couldn’t ask for anything more, he said.
“With Robb, he has done a great job with being a leader in the room and outside,” DeCarli said. “Sometimes as coaches, you are looking for leaders, but sometimes you make the mistake of putting some guys in positions they aren’t comfortable with. He naturally stepped forward over the summer and became a leader because of his actions. We rely on him.”
It all starts with his love of the sport.
“I like the adrenaline rush and the competition,” Rodriguez said. “You’re not going to get it anywhere else but wrestling. Winning in wrestling is the best feeling because it’s you against another person and no one else helped you.”
He fell in love with the sport watching his brothers wrestle when Rodriguez was six years old. Since then, he wrestled in clubs and eventually Rancho-Maze Middle School.
“I just really like it,” he said.
Those feelings for the sport show on the mat, DeCarli said.
“With Robb, it’s nice because it’s something that he truly enjoys,” DeCarli said. “It’s not a chore, it’s something he kind of welcomes. That positive environment spreads.”
With such a young team, that positive reinforcement is vital.
“We understand we are a young team,” DeCarli said. “Having positive role models on the team helps them just enjoy the experience and the ride for what it is.”
Regardless of the team’s youth, Rodriguez’s hard work has put him on the cusp of earning a spot in the state tournament.
“We are right there,” DeCarli said. “It’s just balance up and down. The section tournament is going to be the same thing. If he brings just bring a little more to the table, he is going to do really well. He is at the cusp of being one of those kids. He puts in the time and the work. He just needs to continue to work to get him to that next level.”
For Rodriguez, it’s all about putting in the work.
