Charles Higdon, physical education and wrestling coach, pushes his athletes to their peak in both wrestling and their outside lives, especially during the upcoming season.

“Most of my influential male role models were coaches, so that’s why I wanted to be a coach,” Higdon said.

He promotes an encouraging atmosphere when he coaches, and he wants all of his athletes to strive to be the best they can be.

“I think I’m aggressive and hard charging, and some guys really like that,” Higdon said.

Pushing his athletes above anything else landed Etowah wrestling second in the region last year. They have set their sights on fighting for first.

“Wanting the most out of our kids is the intention,” Higdon said.

If improvement keeps coming, eventually the team will reach the top.

“The most important thing is seeing an improvement,” Higdon said.

Higdon wants to observe growth from the team every year, and although he can help them reach that goal, he can only do so much until it is in the hands of the individual athletes.

“We do 30 minutes of running before practice, some basic moves, and snap downs,” Aidan Cumby said.

The team is doing pre-season workouts and personal training, so the wrestlers can meet their maximum physical potential and soar to victory in the upcoming season.