OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies boys wrestling team will be under new leadership this season after longtime coach Rudy Ochoa II stepped away from the role in the offseason. Reuben Lopez will be taking over the position as the eighth-ever coach in the program’s history. 

“I’ve been around the sport for 30 years now, either as an athlete or a coach, so it’s been nonstop wrestling for me,” said Lopez. 

Lopez was raised in Othello, where he said his wrestling career began at the age of four He’s stuck with the sport throughout his life. In high school, he placed all four years in the state tournament, making the finals twice and winning the championship once.  

Following high school, Lopez attended college for a year before returning to Othello to become an assistant wrestling coach at the age of 19 alongside his mentor, then-Head Coach Ruben Martinez, he said. Lopez would stick with coaching for a few years before moving out of Othello would take him away from the sport for a few years.  

When he moved back into town, he said Ochoa, who had just taken on the role of head coach, gave him a call inviting him back onto the coaching staff.  Lopez returned to the high school coaching staff in 2017, where he has remained to this day. 

“I coach all levels,” said Lopez. “I have kids that wrestle young... with my son and my daughter. I would help out middle school and now I help out high school.” 

Lopez said what has constantly brought him back to wrestling over the years is the one-on-one aspect of the competition. While most team sports have the aspect of the game based on the performance of your teammates, wrestling is entirely based on the individual wrestler’s abilities and willingness to go even further beyond. 

“Just having that one-on-one and that confidence to go out there and beat somebody and feel good about yourself or lose and be like, ‘Man, I just have to work harder,’ that’s always been the drive for me. I’ve always loved that one-on-one action stuff,” he said. 

As the head coach of the Huskies, Lopez said he is looking forward to seeing the continued growth of some of those wrestlers that he’s gotten to know since they were freshmen. He is excited to see the growth in all of the wrestlers this season, he said,both those who are returning and those just starting out. 

His main goal as the head coach is not just to see the Huskies grow on the mat but also grow academically and be prepared to go to college, with hopes that some of them will have the opportunity to continue wrestling at the collegiate level, he said. During his time as head coach he wants to help show the athletes what opportunities being both a good wrestler and a good student can open up for them. 

“If you can go wrestle somewhere else because you got accepted for grades, get out of the Basin and you can always come back,” said Lopez. “The world’s a big place, get out and adventure off and then if you want to come back later on, come back, but at least come back with your degree.”