By Billy Ortiz, STAFF WRITER
It was Monday evening and Campolindo High coach Bob McLaughlin called it a day for the several local wrestlers who had gathered at his school for practice.
San Ramon Valley senior David Christian and his father, Wayne, weren’t ready to stop. They told McLaughlin they’d roll the mats up if they could stay a little longer, and McLaughlin agreed.
“Then it was just us and the janitor, “Wayne Christian said.
Not an unusual situation for David Christian. He always stays later than everyone else.
“His work ethic is unmatched, “San Ramon Valley coach Ed LeCara said. “I have never seen anything like it. He’ll spend a few hours after practice working on things he feels we didn’t (go over). Just him and his dad, and who knows how much time they spend at home.”
Such is the life for the top-ranked wrestler in California at 140 pounds.
When the California Interscholastic Federation State Wrestling Championships begin on Friday at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield, Christian will attempt to become the fifth San Ramon Valley wrestler to win a state title, and first since Mike Kopp won the 175-pound title in 1987. Bill Ramos won two statetitles (1982-83) and Joe Pangelinan (1983) and Stephen Pacheco (1984) won one apiece for the Wolves.
Wayne Christian of Fremont was an accomplished wrestler in the late 1970s and later wrestled for Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo coach Vaughan Hitchcock.
After starting a family
with his wife, Helen, Wayne pretty much forgot about wrestling and really didn’t care to introduce the grueling sport to David.
“I had sworn that my son would never wrestle, “Wayne Christian said. “It was way too hard. I wanted him to go out for something like track or football, and not have to bust his butt every single day.”
Nevertheless, David Christian eventually caught the wrestling bug in sixth grade. A natural, Christian placed second in the first freestyle tournament he entered.
“I felt good about that, “Christian said. “And I just kept wrestling.”
Christian has always had a good workout partner. When he began wrestling, he worked out with Jason Welch, then a third-grader,
and the two have been practicing together ever since. Welch, now 145 pounds, recently became only the third freshman to win a North Coast Section title.
“We work out as much as possible, “Christian said. “Any extra time we have, we try work out. Without him, I would not be even close to where I am.”
Where Christian is now is at the pinnacle of his high school career ” the state meet. He already has sixth- and eighth-place medals at state, but he wants more this time.
“I have been thinking about it since I (attended the state meet) in the seventh grade, “Christian said.
He remembers the excitement of the finals and the sold-out crowd fixed on the spotlighted center mat. He remembers
the emotions of the winning wrestlers.
“I just wanted to be there, “Christian said. “And now is my chance to do that.”
Though he is the top dog in his weight class, Christian knows a state championship won’t come easy.
“I am not overlooking anybody, “Christian, who owns a 44-3 record and will attend Cal Poly-SLO on scholarship, said. “I’ve learned that is something you can’t do in wrestling. If you are not on, then you can get beat.”
One who has beaten Christian this year is Bakersfield junior Brett Land. If both win their first three matches, they’ll wrestle for the fourth time this season.
Land beat Christian at the Reno TOC, an event in which Christian suffered all three of his
defeats. However, Christian has beaten Land twice since then.
As the state meet got closer, Christian’s focus sharpened on the task at hand. He admitted he has been somewhat of a recluse the past three weeks, but hopes his friends understand.
“I have fun, but I might forget that in 10 years, “Christian said. “The state championship is something that will never leave you.”
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