"Get outside of your comfort zone, but most of all compete. Compete in everything you do."
These are the words of the late Jeff Parker, a former Buffalo wrestler. His words – and his battle with cancer – are the inspiration that the wrestling team will take with them to the mat as the Bulls (5-11, 0-1 Mid-American Conference) host MAC foe Ohio Bobcats (2-5, 1-3 MAC) in the third annual Takedown Cancer event Sunday afternoon at Alumni Arena.
"[Parker's message] is a mantra we use on a daily basis," head assistant coach Matt Lackey said. "What it means to us is that you can't be successful in your comfort zone, whether it's as a person, as an athlete, as a human being. Growth comes from the most uncomfortable times, from making mistakes and learning and improving on those mistakes."
One of those players that had wrestled with Parker is senior Kevin Smith. With a season record of 24-6 and rank of 24 on wrestlingreport.com's weekly rankings, it's his leadership and attitude that best reflect those attributes that were instilled in Parker. "Kevin is a very well-rounded individual," Lackey said. "Like Parker, he is a guy that excels in the classroom, he works his butt off in the wrestling room and he's a good person off the mat."
Fellow seniors Tyler Peter and Taylor Golba are also being honored at the event, and it's their importance on and off the mat has been appreciated by the coaching staff.
The Bulls will be relying on the strength of junior Mark Lewandowski, who's riding a 10-match winning streak coming into Sunday. With a 28-6 record this season, the importance to maintain that level of play has been imperative to the team's success. "You can always be pleased with your performance, but you can never be satisfied," Lackey said. "Mark's ultimate goal is to be on that stand and to be a national champion. That's how he stays motivated and we don't have to do much to motivate him, he's a great leader."
As Ohio rolls into town, the team will look to find the balance between focusing on an opponent's tendencies, and playing their respective styles.
"Focusing too much on an opponent can be the death of you," Lackey said. "So there's a delicate balance there. There's trial and error, and you have to approach every person differently, but you should never lose sight of what you're good at. Part of that is mental preparation, not deviating from the plan, and trusting in your training."
The match will start at 1 p.m. Sunday. Doors will open at 11 a.m. There will be auctions and raffles to win as many as 100 prizes, including two 55' LCD HD televisions. Proceeds will benefit the Jeff Parker Foundation as well as Carley's Club, a local organization that supports children with cancer and cancer research.
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