At 5 a.m. Wesleyan wrestlers report to the Sid Richardson weight room to lift. At 6 a.m. the wrestlers head to the gym for a tough hour and a half practice. From 2 – 5 p.m. two separate groups do cardio and weight carrying. From sunrise to sunset wrestlers and coaches train hard to compete on matchday. Quentin Perez, head men’s and women’s wrestling coach, likens his schedule to one of an army drill instructor. 

“I put them through four morning workouts and then two lifts and two conditioning and one supplement,” Perez said. “And it’ll be like that for the rest of the season.” 

In June, Perez was appointed as the new head coach of the Texas Wesleyan Rams Wrestling program, taking over from former coach Jose Lazo. Perez originally began as a volunteer on the coaching staff under Lazo, building connections with the wrestlers and coaches. Before the hiring, Perez said that he and Lazo arranged a way that would help maintain the stability of the team. 

“We had this arrangement where I would become the head coach, he stays as an assistant, and we keep our other assistants,” Perez said. “That way, nothing changes for the kids. Because when you go through a coaching change, everything changes.” 

To help him along, Perez has three student/graduate assistants: Camille Fournier, John Ward, and Dominic Chavez, senior general business major. Chavez took on the student assistant role after the 25’ spring semester and has grown closer with Perez. 

“One thing I like about coach Perez is that he tries to get feedback from the wrestlers as the year goes on,” Chavez said. 

Perez wrestled at Campbell University, a team that went from the worst program in Division 1 to one of the best in the country by his fifth year. Perez said the knowledge he gained from Campbell and the ability to turn a program around is what he’ll be bringing for the Rams. 

“We want to bring the mindset that we’re here to try to be the best wrestlers in the country, regardless of division,” Perez said. “And if they have that mindset, the kids listen, they soak things up, we’re going to have a really successful year.” 

When a coach is brought in, it is hard to rally everyone around someone who could be seen as the replacement. But a coach who has as chiseled a resume as Perez garners respect. Robby Rocha, freshman business major, said it’s Perez’s experience that helped convince him to come to Wesleyan. 

“The way we met was my sophomore or junior year, our coach introduced us to [Perez] where he ran practice,” Rocha said. “And ever since then, my dad and I have been in love, like fell in love with his experience and the way he teaches.” 

Rocha added that Perez’s experience from Division I programs is what makes it easier for them to listen to him during practices. 

“As a majority, everyone trusts ‘Q’ due to his resume,” Rocha said. “In their head they’re like, ‘if he made it through this far doing this, whatever he teaches I should listen…’”  

The last piece of advice Lazo gave Perez was to not lose sight of the ultimate purpose of why he coaches for the Rams. 

“Keep the main thing, the main thing,” Perez said. “We’re here to get these wrestlers better. We’re here to shape them as better people as well and make them upstanding citizens.” 

The Ram’s next tournament is on Oct. 18 in the Sid Richardson Gymnasium. The competition will be Ram against Ram as they compete for the starting spot in their weight class. 

“I’d be excited because, competing against others, we get to see what we need to work on,” Chavez said.