By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
Daniel Fields joined an elite group of Bowling Green High School athletes recently.
During a wrestling meet at Upper Sandusky on Feb. 3, Fields earned his 100th career wrestling victory. He is only the eighth wrestler in the school’s historied sport to reach that goal.
Fields, a senior who wrestles in the 144-pound weight class, was exuberant about the milestone and what it means to him. “Winning my 100th match was one of my personal goals that I couldn’t have done without the support of my teammates and coaches,” he said after winning two additional matches on Senior Night at a home tri-meet Wednesday (2/8).
Wrestling is everything to the high school senior. He has committed five years to learning the sport and bettering his skills. He does it for himself, his mother and siblings, but also for his wrestling family. The coaches and teammates have truly become his family and support system, he said.
“I have many wonderful memories of good times spent with my friends and coaches at everything from swimming parties to holidays,” Fields said. “Coach (Joe) Nauman and Coach (D.J.) Deiter have been father figures to me” and helped him become a better wrestler as well as a more caring big brother to his younger siblings.
His intense drive for success on the wrestling mats kicked in during his sophomore year after a loss at a district meet. He recalled being upset to tears, but then realized even in loss there is a lot to be learned. The teachable moment compelled him to work harder in the weight room, at practices and during matches.
The effort paid off for Fields, who worked hard to be a successful wrestler in the Bowling Green program, said Nauman, an assistant coach with the team.
“Daniel embraces the grind and is a great example of a very coachable student-athlete,” he said.
Also crediting Fields for his perseverance, commitment and work ethic, Nauman said his teammates feed off his positive attitude. “When practices and matches get tough, Daniel is someone that the team looks to for motivation. He is a huge motivator, always singing a tune, bouncing around and showing positive body language and a swag with great hair.”
Fields acknowledges that 100 wins is a great accomplishment, but he doesn’t plan to stop there. He has his sights set on being a league and sectional champion, as well as a placer at districts and the state qualifier. Sectional tournaments are Feb. 25, followed by the district tournament March 3-4 and the state tournament March 11-13.
He also plans to continue wrestling in college after graduating this spring. As he looks for a similar wrestling family environment at the collegiate level, Fields is currently considering wrestling programs at Tiffin and Findlay universities.
