Chris Henrich goes 7 Minutes with TOM
Nov 22nd, 2009 | By viratas | Category: Open Mat Originals, Virginia
The University of Virginias first ever ACC Wrestling champion Chris Henrich spends 7 minutes with TOM. The 2009 NCAA All-American compiled a 40-3 record last season with a 7th place at the 2009 NCAA National Wrestling Tournament. Currently TOM’s number 2 ranked wrestler at 174 lbs. Today he will face off against Nebraska’s Stephen Dwyer in the All-Star Classic. Get to know more about Chris now.
TOM: Describe your first match.
CH: I was eight years old wrestling for the North Penn Junior Knights as a first year wrestler. I remember going out incredibly nervous and feeling light headed as I went out with my parents and sister cheering me on. My technique was very basic at that point needless to say. I broke pretty much every cardinal sin of wrestling, reaching up after getting taken down, reaching back on bottom, crying, and complaining to the referee. By some miracle I was able to get a reversal right to my Pennridge opponent’s back and secure the pin. Still to this day probably my greatest comeback match of all time.
TOM: What was your most memorable match?
CH: Which might be surprising to a lot of you is that my most memorable match is actually a loss, well actually two separate losses, which have haunted me to this day. The first was after a complete underdog David vs. Goliath PA junior state wrestling tournament, I found myself in the semi-finals against another Cinderella story wrestler. I went out and took an early lead and held that lead to the very last ten seconds, when I was reversed to my back for the loss and missed a trip the Junior state finals my seventh grade year. While distraught, nothing hit me harder then when I saw the Parade of Champions display for the finals match — fireworks, music, and announcers. Being a materialistic 7th grader this loss for me was as significant as the burning of the Mona Lisa to “The Louvre.” An equally bad loss was one that occurred my sophomore year after transferring to a new high school after success as a freshman at the National Prep wrestling tournament. The tournament was single elimination until the quarterfinals. Going into the tournament I was ranked second and had beaten everyone participating at least once that year. I found myself in the round of sixteen against a kid from New York who I had beaten twice that previous year. I didn’t expect to cruise through the match by any means, but simply suffered from just not wanting to wrestle anyone other than in the finals. I lost that match out of frustration in overtime when trying to defend a takedown by hurting the other guy. I was sick to my stomach after that match, after taking 3rd the year before I wouldn’t even have a chance to place this year. I can confidently say that this match changed my entire life, yes that’s right LIFE!!! Since that day it sent me on a path and taught me there are no short cuts to long term success which was what I clearly wanted.
TOM: If you could wrestle someone from the past, who would it be?
CH: Without a doubt it would be my arch nemesis from my youth, my Lex Luther to my Superman, a guy’s name who I will not mention because of insecurity to even see it written down haha. My career record against this guy was 0-10, surrendering 9 pins at his experienced grasp. Luckily for him puberty sent us down different paths as I grew into a 174 lber and he is wrestling 141 at a Division 3 school.
TOM: What brought you to Virginia?
CH: This is for me the most fun question for me to answer. Wrestling is what I love, I love to compete, I love the camaraderie, and I love the well deserved respect associated with what it is we do. However, wrestling is not “who I am.” I am a 21 year old young adult who enjoys many other things than just wrestling. And while yes I will work my butt off and sacrifice nearly everything to accomplish my goals, I believe being a well rounded individual is just as important in the short term and even more important in the long term. God has blessed me with a lot of gifts, many of which pertain to wrestling, but I am no second-coming to the sport. I plan on having a job outside of wrestling, and when deciding on a college at age 17 I felt it was the mature decision to go to a well established academic school that was manageable to the rigorous lifestyle of college wrestling. Coach Garland made it very clear when recruiting me that while wrestling was a huge part of our life it was also something that we loved to do because we have so much fun participating in it. Coach Garland and Moore shared very similar views to me not only in wrestling but in life as well. Virginia was a school on the rise both academically and athletically, and I wouldn’t have passed on a chance to be a part of that history in the making.
TOM: What person has had the biggest impact on your wrestling career and why?
CH: Without hesitation I can confidently say that the person who has had the biggest impact on my wrestling career was my freshman high school coach, Anthony Panzerella. Panz inherited me as a lanky 125 lb. freshman at LaSalle High School in 2002. Growing up I was always athletic and could compete in pretty much any sport I tried. However, wrestling was just another sport. I wasn’t overly passionate about it. It was just what I did in the winter. Coming into high school I thought I was everything, coming in as one of the best wrestlers on the team as a freshman went straight to my head. I had become content with what I had accomplished and wasn’t so much worried with my personal best, but rather how I did in relation to my peers. Panz taught me that the only way to be a true winner was to find something you truly love and devote yourself to that lifestyle. As crazy as it sounds he was the first person to ever challenge me to make a long term goal for what I wanted to accomplish in wrestling when I graduated. Believe me as a freshman my goal was a long shot, it was to be ranked in the top 5 in the country after my senior year. He reminded me of it every day, every practice. And while I sure made a lot of mistakes and couldn’t comprehend a lot of the things he taught me at such an early age, as I grew older I was able to apply these principles to my lifestyle and training. Sure enough after my season ended in 2007 I was a national prep champion and ranked 3rd overall at 171 lbs.
TOM: What are your long term goals in wrestling?
CH: My long term goals seem to be flying to the end; each new stage you reach requires new and revised goal setting. Coming into college my goal was to be a multiple All-American and a national champion. There’s just something about seeing 2x or 3x or 4x before the world All-American that just really impressed me. To be honest at this point in my life I see my wrestling career coming to a halt after college. I’m sure I’ll always be around the sport but at a limited amount. While I love wrestling, it’s consumed the better part of my last 13 years, and I feel that after college I’ll be ready for a new chapter in my life. However, I’m not closing the door for an international career, or a possible MMA chance, that’s just how I feel currently.
TOM: What 3 things should fans know about you that they don’t?
CH:
1.) My sixth grade year I almost gave up wrestling for the popular video game Zelda Ocarina of Time on Nintendo 64 — man did I love that game.
2.) Basketball was my first love, and I nearly gave up wrestling to pursue a basketball career in eighth grade.
3.) I love to travel and have been to Canada, Mexico, Nicaragua, England, Spain, France and Scotland. I love to take trips every summer and get out to see the world.
BY: TOM Staff
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