A big man with an even bigger heart. Odessa-Montour’s Dylan Houseknecht reflects on the adversity and hardships endured over his past 4 years at Cortland.
Insane. That is how senior wrestler Dylan Houseknecht summarized the jump from High School to College, and you really can’t blame him. Dylan graduated from one of the smallest public schools in Upstate New York, Odessa-Montour High School, which graduates about only 50 students per year.
A three sport athlete in high school, Dylan did his damage on the football field and wrestling mat. During his senior year, Dylan was both an All-State football player and State Champion wrestler, solidifying himself as one of the most valuable athletes Upstate New York had to offer. But for Dylan, the jump from High School to College was tough. While the college level was a test physically, it was the mental side that Dylan had to battle.
It’s definitely a humbling experience. I’ve had my ups and downs mentally, it kind of broke me a little bit. It’s like do I actually suck at what I do? Am I not that good? But you just work through it, talk with the coaches and stuff like that to get your mind back into it.
During his freshman year, Dylan separated his AC joint and was forced to miss his first wrestling season. After being granted the medical redshirt, Dylan did not lose a year of eligibility and was eager to hit the mat hard in his Sophomore year.
Coming off a football season where he worked up to 2nd string and played on Special Teams, Dylan was firing on all cylinders heading into wrestling season right when COVID-19 hits. Dylan loses his second consecutive season wrestling. Heartbreaking.
Wrestling is a sport where time off tends to be much more impactful than in other sports. Wrestling requires an individual confidence that is built up over time, coming into the season late already overweight from Football is hard enough, but to deal with injuries and worldwide pandemics, the cards dealt to Dylan were not in his favor in the slightest.
Entering his senior year, Dylan decided it was finally time to say goodbye to football and focus on wrestling. A big decision for someone who has played football since before he could remember.
It was finally time for Dylan to show the nation why he was a New York State Champ and why he was ESPN 1160 Ithaca Wrestler of the Year in high school. But only a few matches into this season, Dylan suffered a brutal ankle injury that has, barring a recovery miracle, ended his season once again.
I’ve been a little down just because this is my senior year. I was trying to go for it all and my coach knows the potential I have, we were working towards being a national qualifier, possibly All-American and it just sucks.
Dylan unfortunately was not able to enjoy the athletic career he worked so hard for, but what he did not gain in trophies and accolades he made up for with life lessons and personal growth.
I’m a firm believer in you got to roll with the punches, you’re not always going to be able to dictate what cards you’re dealt, anything can happen at anytime, anyone can beat anyone, you can get injured, academics, whatever hardships come at you, you just got to face adversity and win in the hard. If stuff doesn’t go your way you got to battle through it and come out on top.
Dylan Houseknecht. Perseverance personified.