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Howland’s Whisler comfortable at 170 pounds
Rewind a year to Thursday, Feb. 27 — the first day of the 2014 state wrestling tournament in Columbus.
Howland’s David-Brian Whisler was returning for his second straight trip to the individual tournament after taking fourth place in the 152-pound weight class as a sophomore.
He was wrestling in the same weight class as a junior and had state title aspirations. Cutting weight is nothing new to wrestlers, however Whisler realized he was in over his head as his body stated growing during the season.
Suddenly maintaining 152 pounds wasn’t as natural as it used to be.
Whisler woke up on the first day of the state tournament at 5:30 a.m. significantly over weight. And that was after he alreay cut weight the day before when he arrived in Columbus even more overweight.
“I called my club coach and met him at the hotel workout room and he stood by the side of my treadmill for however many hours I ran,” Whisler recalled. “Then I went and made a sauna in the bathroom with steam from the shower.
“It was definitely a very long morning. I was ready to break — thinking of some way to get out of there.”
His friends told him that when he arrived for weigh-ins, he looked more like a zombie than a state champion threat.
“My mom jokes it was one of the longest weekends of her life,” Whisler said. “She wanted me to drop out. She said I was developing a yellow tint to my skin because I guess my liver was starting to shut down.”
He wrestled that day — or at least tried — and when the three-day tournament was done with, Whisler left with seventh place.
“It definitely took the fun out of the sport,” he said. “I think wrestling is the best sport on the earth, if you do it right and aren’t stupid.
“I was stupid and I learned the hard way. Now I know not to make that mistake again.”
This year, he’s wrestled at a much more healthy weight of 170 pounds and has done so quite successfully. The Howland senior, who’s committed to wrestle at the University of Maryland, is 33-2 this season. But perhaps more importantly, he’s enjoying his final year.
“I feel great and I’m looking for some redemption,” Whisler said. “It definitely affected my wrestling big-time last year. I just wasn’t myself.
“It was embarrassing. Something I can’t worry about now.”
His next step to get back to state is this weekend in a Division II district tournament in Alliance. He took second his sophomore year and won the district last season.
“I like to use the saying, minor setback for a major comeback,” Whisler said.
“I’m just ready to go win a state tournament.”