I still remember the moment I knew it was over. I was sitting in the Kohl Center bleachers, all alone on Thursday night. Didn’t want to talk to anyone. Didn’t want any sympathy shoulder pats. 

I had just lost the opening match of the state wrestling tournament. 

Triple overtime, sudden victory loss. When you wrestle D3 on Thursday night, you don’t get a wrestleback.

I needed to brood. I needed to take a soul-crushing defeat and learn how 18-year-old Casey would respond. 

And honestly, I don’t remember the match very clearly. Mostly a blur. Don’t really even remember what Mike Kanyelis from Cornell/Gilman really even looked like. It’s a deeply humbling experience when you give 100% to something and come up short. 

But that last week of wrestling practice also changed my life. I was dialed. Just tough, clean practices where I unlocked a new level. As Coach Vandenbush and Mueller were pushing us to our limits, I learned there’s always another level to unlock. A better, crisper, stronger version of you that’s just waiting. And that lesson is just as valuable as defeat.