Bonds between teammates are often described as strong as that of brothers, but for some, the bond goes beyond a comparison.
Kyle and Ryan Sanders can vouch for that assessment, as the two brothers are both members of the Ohio wrestling team and compete in the same weight class.
The 197-pound brothers from St. Charles Preparatory High School in Columbus have recently wrapped up their first season together as Bobcats, but the duo is excited to spend two more years competing with and against each other on a daily basis.
The two are full of similarities. Most notably, both are members of the same weight class, but Kyle is two years older than the freshman Ryan and has embraced the position of being a mentor.
Kyle, a redshirt sophomore, has had limited playing time in meets with a record of 0-2 and said college wrestling is very different than high school. Kyle said he wants to help his younger brother have the same, smooth growing experience he did.
“When I came to school here, the older guys on the team taught me a lot of what it takes to wrestle at the college level,” Kyle said. “They also beat up on me a lot too, so of course I’m going to return that to my little brother, but we help each other out and it’s great to be together.”
After posting a total record of 1-4 in the Hokie Open and Michigan State Open in the beginning of the season, Ryan was redshirted just like his brother was, but he is still learning every day in practice.
“Kyle really pushes me in practice. Harder than everyone else does, but I really enjoy it,” Ryan said. “I can tell he is a lot more of a coach against me than anyone else on the team, but he does it out of love and just wants me to be the best I can be.”
Growing up, Ryan was the smallest of four boys in the family and always took his share of beatings from his older brothers. But he said he loved being the youngest and having someone there to teach and look after him.
“I grew up much faster than (Ryan) did, so he took beatings from me all the time whether we were wrestling in youth leagues or around the house. But at the same time, I just wanted him to be able to do the same things I could,” said Kyle, the two-time state qualifier.
In their two years together in high school, Kyle and Ryan rarely practiced against each other because Kyle matured very young and was always so much bigger. Ryan did not grow until later in high school, limiting competition between the two until college.
After Kyle graduated and moved on to the collegiate level, Ryan visited him and knew Ohio University was the place for him to come.
“I fell in love with the campus when I came down to visit Kyle,” Ryan said. “The fact I could wrestle here and still see my brother everyday just set it over the top and was a clear decision for me to attend.”
Seeing each other every day has benefits, but like in any family, tempers occasionally flare.
“Some days, we do go at it and fight like any siblings do, but it is great that I can teach him and he, at the same time, is always battling back to make me better too,” Kyle said. “It is a wonderful situation for us to share.”
Though two years in age can seem like a significant gap among siblings, the two said they love the benefit of always having someone to hang out with and are excited to be together for the next couple of years.
cl027410@ohiou.edu
