GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (GRPS) -- As the winter sports season approaches, the Union Redhawks wrestling team is gearing up for one of its most ambitious seasons in recent memory. With a large roster and high expectations for both individual and team success, the Redhawks are ready to make a statement on the mat. The team is also preparing to host the first-ever Dick Sandee Memorial Tournament, honoring one of the program’s most respected coaches and reinforcing the tradition of Union wrestling.
A Deep, Diverse Team
The Union Redhawks enter the season with one of the largest and most diverse wrestling rosters in recent years, featuring roughly 40 athletes, including seven girls. The team blends experienced upperclassmen with younger talent, creating a mix of skill levels and styles that head coach Ryan Smith says will be key to their success. Participation is a top priority, and Smith encourages it through mentorship and outreach. “A lot of our older wrestlers recruited for us, and we also went around to other [GRPS] schools,” he said. With a full wrestling room, the focus now shifts to keeping athletes engaged and motivated. “We’re motivating them to push through the hard practices, the aches and pains,” Smith added.
Individual goals and favorite techniques highlight the Redhawks’ growing skill. Senior Jasmine Galvan-Flores, competing at 126 pounds, favors the whizzer: “Girls like to tie up a lot, so the whizzer helps you get them on the mat for an easy pin.” Sophomore Jaxson Nowlan, also at 126 pounds, relies on the single leg sweep: “It’s a good move that works a lot to get them off balance.” Junior LLuviayleen Sosa, at 132 pounds, prefers the nearside cradle: “It’s usually pretty available when the opponent is on bottom, and it keeps pressure on.”
Team goals are just as important as individual ones. Senior Christopher Rogers, who will wrestle at 150 and 157 pounds, emphasized teamwork: “My team goal is to have people be more active and learn to better control their feelings on the mat to help the whole team.” Nowlan echoed that mindset, adding that he wants to “improve the team as a whole.”
The First-Ever Dick Sandee Memorial Tournament
This season, the Redhawks will host the inaugural Dick Sandee Memorial Tournament on December 20, welcoming seven other teams to Union: Hudsonville, Sparta, Reeths-Puffer, Ravenna, Central Montcalm, Forest Hills Northern, and Dewitt. The event honors the late Dick Sandee, a beloved Redhawks football and wrestling coach whose influence is still felt throughout the program and in the community.
Coach Smith, who wrestled under Sandee and models his coaching style after him, sees the tournament as more than just a competition. “He was strict but also someone to talk to,” Smith said, recalling Sandee’s balance of discipline and approachability. The tournament gives Union wrestlers an early-season test against tough competition while also celebrating a coach whose approach helped shape the culture of the program.
Reviving the Legacy of Union Wrestling
To Smith, wrestling at Union is about more than competition; it’s a legacy. A 2003 Union graduate, he wrestled on teams that won back-to-back conference championships. Now, he hopes to restore the toughness and pride he experienced as a wrestler while honoring the coaches who influenced him, including Sandee. “I want to make sure we bring the toughness back and that when people see Union on the schedule, they know it’s going to be a tough fight. Legacy is everything to me here.”
The Redhawks are building on last year’s momentum, when nine wrestlers placed individually at the Conference Tournament and the team finished fourth overall. Assistant coach Mike Jost emphasizes that enduring success comes from combining physical skill with mental preparation. “I think endurance is 70% of wrestling, and the rest is technique. We’ll keep practices going hard to continue to build that.”
Beyond physical preparation, the Redhawks recognize that wrestling is as much a mental challenge as a physical one. Galvan-Flores reflected on the personal growth the sport demands: “You have to push past your limits. Life is hard, so if you can succeed in wrestling, you can succeed in life.” Rogers emphasized the broader impact wrestling has off the mat: “It prepares you for the hardships of life.”
The Redhawks are building on a rich tradition, carrying forward the lessons of past coaches and the toughness that defines Union wrestling. With a large, motivated roster, the team is focused on growth, discipline, and the shared pride that comes from being part of something bigger than themselves this season.
Important Season Dates
- First Meet: December 3
- Dick Sandee Memorial Tournament: December 20
- Team Districts: February 11–12
- Individual Districts: February 14 (boys) and February 15 (girls)
