As he nears the end of the winter season, senior Daniel Matta spoke to The Classic about his high school wrestling career and his senior season spent as team co-captain.
As a child, Daniel was frequently exposed to wrestling. “My dad would take me and my two siblings to wrestling camps, but I’d never really wrestle as I wasn’t interested at the time,” he said.
Entering his freshman year at THHS, Daniel decided to join the Boys Varsity Wrestling team, only to find that his season would be severely limited following the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost immediately, Daniel experienced his first taste of adversity. “My first match I broke my thumb while still ending with a pin in the last period. My season was mostly lost, but I was able to enter the Queens Borough Championship, placing 5th for 110 pounds.”
As a result of losing most of his season to COVID and injury, Daniel lacked essential wrestling skills his freshman year As a sophomore, Daniel decided not to compete, remaining on the team to train and cheer on his teammates at each and every match. It wasn’t until Daniel’s junior season when his skills and talent began to shine. “I put in extreme amounts of effort into training. I would wrestle at school practices, then go to other school practices right after, then attend Beat the Streets.” At 124 pounds, Daniel ended up placing third in the Queens Borough Championship and eighth in the entire city. From there, Daniel continued to improve and excel.
Going into the winter, Daniel had a clear vision of how he wanted his senior season to go, taking the role of senior captain very seriously. “My senior year goals were to inspire and give the underclassmen the tools to succeed and do well. I want to make sure that when the rest of the seniors and I are gone, the underclassmen possess all the knowledge I have accumulated so that they can pass it down, like I did, before they graduate.”
While reflecting on his senior season and high school wrestling career as they both near an end, Daniel expressed great satisfaction. “I will never forget the dedication I put into fighting through until the end to win my first match during my freshman year despite breaking my thumb,” he said.
Boys Varsity Wrestling head coach Matthew Curiale expressed high praise for Daniel, highlighting his athletic and personal development over the years. “Technically, he has refined his skills, becoming a more well-rounded wrestler who can adapt and execute under pressure,” said Coach Curiale. “Beyond that, his ability to support and mentor younger teammates has been invaluable, creating a positive and resilient team environment. His dedication to continuous improvement, both on and off the mat, truly sets him apart.”
Daniel’s teammates shared similar praise and respect for their senior captain. Junior Malek Ahmed said, “Daniel consistently led by example, showcasing a strong work ethic and dedication that inspired his teammates to elevate their own performance. His ability to remain calm under pressure and provide constructive feedback helped the team navigate challenging situations effectively.” Adding to this, junior Emir Gutic said, “Daniel has assisted greatly in teaching our team countless defensive and offensive wrestling moves, stances, and ways to properly exercise.”
One of the other senior captains Raghav Kumar said, “Daniel is a great captain and wrestler, but more importantly he’s a great guy off the mat as well. He always makes sure to spread kindness all the time. […] During practice he teaches us moves that we may not know as well [and] is a great person to work with overall.”
When asked about his future in wrestling, Daniel said, “I don’t plan to pursue wrestling beyond high school, but depending on what school I end up at, I may take it up again.”
“Daniel’s commitment to continuous improvement is evident in his willingness to seek feedback and adapt his techniques,” said Malek. “He has cultivated strong relationships with his teammates, fostering a sense of camaraderie that has been instrumental in building team spirit and resilience, skills our team will absolutely need going forward in the future.”
