The Fresno City College Men’s wrestling team is off to a great start. This team has one goal: state championship. The members of this team are counting the days until their chance to win the gold.

The men’s wrestling team is no stranger to winning a state championship; the team recently won a state championship in 2006, and nine championships overall in the past decade.

Ever since the wrestling program was started at FCC in 1959, the team has won a state championship every decade. This year, the team is vowing to bring back the prize with valuable traditions and hard work.

Coach Paul Keysaw, native of Athens, Pennsylvania, joined the FCC Wrestling Program in 2006. Before joining the Rams, he was a coach at Moorpark Community College. “The community is awesome; wrestling is big around here, and we are well supported by the people of this community,” said Coach Keysaw in a recent interview.

Coach Keysaw added, “My goal is to bring home a state championship this year.” Last year, the Rams came fourth in the State Championship, a big disappointment to the wrestling team, who in the past had won it all.

Continuing on the team is second-year returning 2006 All-Star state champion, Angel Olea. He said he is training hard to accomplish one mission: to reclaim his title as an All-Star State Champion. “I have been training really hard by running, conditioning; stepping it up another level, for my competition,” said Olea.

Another Returning wrestler, Alonso Sanchez, who won All-star player in 2007, said he is ready to defend his title. Sanchez said he is looking forward to wrestling in the All-Star meet, and possibly in the state meet.

Sanchez said, “Endurance is big part right now, and trying to get my weight down.”