OUR ATHLETE OF THE WEEK COMMUNITY PARTNER
Each week, Monitor staff selects and interviews a local Athlete of the Week. Learn more about their accomplishments, their goals and what makes them unique. We’d like to thank our sponsor Capital City Kia.
Our partners do not participate in the selection of these athletes. That is fully at the discretion of our journalists.
Kearsarge senior wrestler Gage Richard reached the 100-win mark a few weeks back with a run to second place in the Winnisquam Classic. Richard made history for himself and his school, as he was the first in Cougar history to reach the mark.
Richard is a dual-athlete in football and wrestling and is being highlighted as a Kearsarge High School athlete of the month for his efforts on and off the field.
“Gage has a tremendous work ethic and is a very determined athlete,” his coach, Reilly Moskalenko, wrote about him.
His peers recognized him for his kindness and attitude, while academically, he excelled in the school’s Licensed Nursing Assistant and Extended Learning Opportunities programs.
The Monitor asked Richard a series of questions to better understand his path and what it takes to be an accomplished student-athlete.
Q: How do you strike a balance between school and wrestling?
School is in the morning and wrestling is in the afternoon, Get your work done, and you can step on that mat ready to wrestle.
Q: What’s your favorite part about wrestling and why?
My favorite part of wrestling would have to be sportsmanship. You look at any other sport and realize the amount of respect that is given to coaches, referees, opponents, and the teams you face.
Q: Who are some of your mentors and how have they helped you?
Four main people come to mind. Both my current coaches, Reily Moskalenko and Brandon McDougal. They have been supporting, guiding, and instructing me on everything that has made me who I am in this sport. My father, Scott Richard, for being behind me and helping me with any info on wrestlers I’m facing. Fourth would be my old coach, Erik Croto, a man who always believed in me even when I was so young and new to the sport.
Q: What’s your favorite memory of wrestling?
Freshman year holiday practices with our team of only seven people at the time.
Q: What’s your next goal? What do you hope to achieve in the near or far future?
My main goal is to win states, with the hopes of furthering my wrestling name in the world of coaching or reffing.
Q: What advice would you give to other wrestlers aiming for state titles and career milestones?
As the words of my coaches and the advice I follow, when you step on that mat the score is zero.