Wrestling is a very physical sport that requires many hours of time and dedication to perfect the craft. Not everyone has the durability to sustain a successful career on the mat, but North Haven wrestler Nathan Ruggiero was determined to find that success.

As a junior at North Haven High School, this is Nathan’s first year wrestling on a Nighthawks team that is in its debut season. He decided to try it out because he was encouraged by his peers and has had a good experience with the team so far.

“I was really intrigued and interested to do it,” says Nathan. “It has been really great, building great relationships with everyone on the team, going to practice every day.”

Nighthawks Head Coach Peter Tseperkas has been pleased with Nathan’s progress on the mat this year and also the way he has been able to lead the team both on and off of it.

“Nathan stood out in the beginning. He is a quiet leader who leads by example,” says Tseperkas. “He does what needs to be done through modeling what is expected. He has taken a lot of wrestlers under his wing and is a good role model for the team.”

Nathan competes as a 170-pounder and has a winning record at that weight. On top of being dominant in his weight class, Nathan has been focused on motivating his teammates throughout the season.

“I am looking to inspire my guys, give them motivation,” says Nathan. “Being at practice every day has been really helpful, and being there for everybody to lead them.”

In order to become a captain for any of the Nighthawk teams, athletes are required to write an essay, speak with the Athletic Director Steve Blumenthal, and give a speech as to why they want to be a captain in front of their team. For Nathan, that process was a nerve-wracking but rewarding one.

“I was not planning on running to be a captain until Coach reached out to me and encouraged me to run,” says Nathan. “I wrote the entire essay, three pages in one night, completed all of the paperwork, and turned it in. It was nerve-racking going up there giving the speech. It was a really cool moment standing up there with the other two captains, Michael Bolduc and AJ Tomaszewski, when Coach announced it.”

With the Nighthawks being in their first season as a program, there have been quite a few challenges that Nathan and the other wrestlers have had to adapt to. Tseperkas is impressed with how Nathan and his team have responded to the obstacles of getting a program on its feet.

“It is a brand-new sport, not just for him but for the whole team,” says Tseperkas. “We jumped into a full varsity schedule. For all of the kids on our team, only two had experience. The struggle has always been, ‘can we compete with these seasoned wrestlers?’. They have proven that we can.”

Aside from this being Nathan’s first year wrestling not only with a brand new Nighthawks team but also in general, he has also faced other challenges throughout the season from a commitment standpoint.

“Being there every single day was definitely a challenge, getting a ride with parents working,” says Nathan. “Being consistent has been challenging due to a sprained ankle that happened a month ago. Being there every single day was probably the biggest challenge, but I did that.”

Although Nathan was unable to compete in the SCC Wrestling Championships due to an illness, he is still focused on making an impact at states moving forward, something Tseperkas is looking forward to from the captain.

“I think Nathan has his eyes set on being a state place winner. I think if he puts in the time and the work in the offseason, wrestling with club teams to get mat times, he can do that,” says Tseperkas. “Nathan has been a pleasure to coach; he’s really been a gentleman and a leader on and off the mat. He is a fierce competitor, and when he goes out there, he means business.”

As Nathan looks ahead to the remainder of this year’s postseason and his senior season next year, he has a few goals in mind for himself and his teammates as they look to improve from their debut season.

“I am going to continue to support my teammates and be a good captain for them,” says Nathan. “Next year, as a team, I would like to see us go .500 or maybe over. For personal goals, I hope to continue to be a starter, stay healthy, and encourage my teammates as I will be one of the captains for next year.”