By Dana Williams
³I thought it would get easy after the first two state wins, but it was actually really tough getting to the state tournament this year,² Conroy explained. ³It¹s a lot harder because there¹s more people who want to beat you, so there is a lot more competition out there.² Conroy won his previous two state crowns ‹in 2005 and 2006‹ in the 189 weight division, but this year he moved up and earned his third title in the 210 weight class.
The tournament, which was held at Monsignor Farrell High School in Staten Island on Feb. 18 and 19, was a memorable one, according to the village resident. ³The state tournament was awesome because the whole gym was packed with fans,² he said. ³Since there is only two guys wrestling at a time, you¹re really on the spotlight because everyone is watching and it was a really great experience.²
Conroy, 18, believes that dedication and discipline also contributed to his success as a wrestler. ³With wrestling, you are only out on the mat for like five minutes, so really all of the hard work is in the training,² he said. ³Wrestlers have to make sure they stay the same weight, they have to eat healthy and wrestle in the off season.² Before his matches, Conroy said that he always tried to get himself mentally prepared to wrestle.
³Staying home and just preparing for a big match I think helped me win also,² he said. ³The night before a match, I wouldn¹t go out with my friends or do anything else besides prepare to wrestle at the match the next day.²
The wrestler also attributes his success to the support he receives from his family and friends.
³My mom is my biggest fan. I don¹t think she has ever missed a match or any of my games, and she is always motivating me to do better,² he said. ³The same thing applies to my dad too, and my whole team was at my final state match watching and helping me out, so they have been great too.²
The Malverne resident also said, he values being a student athlete. His commitment to excelling at both is something that he said he tries to pass along to the underclassman at his school.
Conroy, along with other seniors, also use their spare time to help train the underclassman for next year¹s wrestling season.
³When we wrestle the younger guys, we don¹t go easy on them and we play them tough,² he said. ³That¹s the way us seniors had it when we were freshman and sophomores. In the long run also, it works out because it makes you a better wrestler.²
Besides helping the next generation of Firebirds, Conroy‹who was also a captain and quarterback on Kellenberg¹s football team, and who was recently inducted into the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame‹ is currently a starting right fielder on Kellenberg¹s baseball team. Out of all the sports that he plays, he said that baseball is his passion. Throughout his years at Kellenberg, Conroy has made many memories, but the ones he made with his friends and teammates are the ones he said, he will miss the most.
Conroy plans to attend Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, in the fall and he hopes to play baseball for the school in the upcoming season.
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