Senior Joseph Schaffer exhausted steps on to the mat after a hard match at Flatwater Fracas in 2023. One of the toughest tournaments in Nebraska High School wrestling, Schaffer sits at 8-0 currently and his last match would make him 9-0. Schaffer quickly flipped his opponent over and pinned him making him 9-0 at one of the most star studded tournaments in all of Nebraska.
Schaffer who has wrestled since he was 4 years old hasonly improved since he started taking it seriously Freshman year. Last season, Schaffer just missed out on the state tournament but he managed to have his best season yet.
“I had like a 75 win percentage last year [2023-2024 season] which was awesome. And then again, more camps this summer, I went to a lot of off season stuff, like big national tournaments with 250 men brackets,” Schaffer said.
Head Wrestling Coach Brayden Wills has also seen Schaffer’s improvement in many ways throughout his time as the team’s head coach. Wills was named the head coach in 2022 which was Schaffer’s sophomore year after having an interim head coach his freshman year.
“Joe’s improvement since I met him in April of his freshman year is drastic. He has developed his own wrestling style to the point of being able to beat anyone in the state now,” Wills said.
Schaffer loves more than just the actual wrestling when it comes to the sport, the team that has become his family also keeps him coming back every year. From the seniors the last few years to the freshman and sophomores now Schaffer has been able to create bonds that will last him more than just his time at Southeast.
“I look forward to the people like I’ve just got super close with some of our seniors this year. I’ve also become so close with one of our sophomores, [Xander Ferguson] I’ve just taken him under my wing, and I really like him,” Schaffer said.
Schaffer has become a wrestler that a lot of the underclassmen look up to and use as an example for what a Southeast wrestler can be when it comes to individual accolades. Wills has seen his leadership throughout the years on and off the mat.
“Joseph not only leads by example, but he also is able to lead using his voice. He picks kids up when they’re down, he encourages everyone in the room and is always willing to help the newer guys learn technique. He’s someone I can always trust to be working hard and getting better. Off the mat, his dedication to the classroom and being a good person is what makes him a true leader for our team,” Wills said.
Schaffer was a qualifier for state his sophomore year and faced eventual state medalists in his 2 matches. Schaffer just missed out on state his junior year and looks to make his return this year with a plan to medal. Schaffer also wants to add his name on the short list who have hit the 100 win mark in their highschool career at Southeast.
“Making it back to state because I didn’t go last year. I just beat the kid that knocked me out of districts. Actually making it to state and medaling, and then hit that 100 wins. That’s been a goal of mine for a long time,” Schaffer said.
Schaffer is wrestling in the 165 pound weight class for this season as of now but that wasn’t always the case. During his freshman season he wrestled 113 and last year he wrestled in the 138 pound weight class. But hard work and dedication to adding muscle helped Schaffer gain the right weight he wanted for his senior season.
“I started going to the gym, started lifting, and then it didn’t take long for me to put on, like, 10 pounds and like, I just, I kept going all summer, kept wrestling too, like, it helped me put on muscle,” Schaffer said.
Schaffer is a wrestler who has embodied the LSE wrestling program from start to finish of his high school career. He looks to possibly wrestle in college but academics have his priority. Schaffer will leave a lasting impact on the LSE wrestling community with both his impressive wrestling feats and the relationships he has built.
