AMBOY – When Michael Olson became the Amboy wrestling coach before the start of the 2024-25 season, he figuratively made a check mark.

“I always wanted to coach wrestling. It was one of my life goals,” Olson said. “Wrestling made a really big difference in my life when I was growing up. I did fairly well in the sport, so I wanted to coach someday.”

Olson may be a first year wrestling coach, but he’s been in Amboy education for the last five years as a special education teacher at Amboy Junior High School.

The 2003 Sandwich High School graduate was impressed with his team after the clubs first meet and its only risen as the team has grappled through the season.

“We have a number of holes in our lineup because we don’t have a full team. We do have 11 wrestlers this year, but some of them are at the same weight class,” said Olson in November. “We have two or three 138-pounders and two or three 132-pounders. We have a lot of holes, but we’ve been spreading them out the best we can.Hopefully in the future that will change.

“I’m excited to work with all of the wrestlers and I believe they can all succeed. The kids have worked really hard in practice. I’m really proud of the work they’ve put in and I know it’ll continue as the season continues.”

The roster includes Aden Spinelli, Chase Huggins, Keaton Thompson, Joshua McKendry, Ty Florschuetz, Brandon Campriran, Chase Montavon, Jose Lopez, Caiden Heath, Evan Flanagan, and Carter Phelps.

Olson has Hector Figueroa and Joe Flanagan as his assistant coaches.

The Clippers have been toward the top of the standings in tournaments with teams of similar size and have given bigger squads a run for their money all season.

Post season wrestling for Amboy starts Saturday, Feb. 8 with the St. Bede Class 1A Regional including Aurora Central Catholic, Putnam County, Lisle, Mendota, Mooseheart, Marquette, Princeton, Somonauk, and Sandwich.