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Schools

Herndon High Wrestler Loses Weight, Wins Big

Healy drops 45 pounds, has career season

Before the high school wrestling season began this winter, Herndon High wrestler Andrew Healy imagined himself on the mat competing for a spot in the Northern Regional tournament. The 220-pound junior had never been there before. In fact he had never won a district tournament match. But this season had been special and Healy believed he could do it.

“My main goal is to place at districts and make it to regionals,” said Healy the week of the Concorde tournament. “Making it to regionals would be a big step up from last year.”

On Feb. 4, just two days after making that statement, Healy accomplished his goal. He finished in the top four at the district tournament at Chantilly High School and earned the right to wrestle with the elite at regionals.

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Healy’s record now stood at 15-12—a vast improvement over his 10-17 mark during his sophomore season in 2011. Many variables such as practice, experience and maturity all played a part in his success. But Healy said one huge factor helped him realize his dream. Healy, now a solid 220, weighed 265 pounds just six months earlier. He had wrestled in the heavyweight class in 2010-11 and found it difficult to compete. So, when he heard a new weight class at 220 had been added for 2011-12, he jumped at the chance to start a new lifestyle.

“Right after they announced the weight class system, I set that as my goal to get to 220,” Healy said. “I started around mid summer. I started counting calories and watched what I ate.”

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The former heavyweight made intelligent, healthy changes to his diet and added regular exercise to his daily regiment. Healy was not going to wear plastic suits or fast. He would go old school and reach his goal with integrity. Five months later, Healy walked into the Herndon High gym 45 pounds lighter and ready to wrestle. Hornet Coach Mike Gonzales now had his 220 slot filled.

“He was impressed with how much weight I lost, and was excited for me to come in at 220,” Healy said. “The coaching staff  [has] very good coaches and they have really been supportive this season.”

Healy realized results immediately during practice and gained confidence in his abilities. He said competing last year against heavyweights was much more difficult and a completely different style of wrestling. But this season he truly enjoyed competing.

“I feel a lot stronger and faster than I was last year,” he said. “Wrestling people at a lower weight is better.”

Healy had thought it might be tough keeping off the weight, but discovered another benefit of slimming down, as he had no difficulty cutting weight before a match.

“For a lot of people, especially at lower weight classes, they have to seriously cut weight, it gets very tiring for them,” he said. “I haven’t had much of a problem this year with cutting weight.”

The junior would go on to win The Stone Bridge Holiday Tournament and place 2nd in The Lion's Invitatiional as well. Healy had now discovered passion for his sport and took it all the way to the regional tournament.

One week after the Concorde tournament in February, Healy would succumb to the competition at regionals. And although he said he was disappointed, Healy finished the season with a record of 15-14 (including postseason); 50-percent improvement in wins from the previous season. And he said he has already begun to set both individual and team goals for his journey next year.

“I feel we’ve got a lot more potential,” he said regarding the team as a whole. “But I feel next year will be a really good year for Herndon wrestling. My goal is to drop down to 195 or 182 for the summer.”

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