Matt Levins - MVP The Hawk Eye
DES MOINES — Behind every good man stands a woman.
Or so the old saying goes.
Standing behind the state champion Notre Dame-West Burlington/Danville high school boys wrestling team was senior manager Hannah Fruehling.
While the Nikes celebrated their Class 2A state team championship Saturday night at Wells Fargo Arena, right there amongst the wrestlers was Fruehling, who in the eyes of coach Bill Plein might just be the Nikes’ Most Valuable Person.
From keeping the scorebook to updating statistics for every wrestler and the team to making sure the medical supply kit is up to date to filling the cooler with food and drinks for the team, you name it and chances are Fruehling has done it.
It’s all part of being a team player.
“It’s been really fun. It definitely can be hectic at times, but it’s always an adventure. I really like that,” said Fruehling, who also runs cross country and track. “It’s definitely more of a commitment than I originally thought it would be. Practices every day and then weekend tournaments that are very long. Plus the traveling. But then you have moments like this where you win a team title and it all pays off.”
Plein makes no bones about it. Without Fruehling, the Nikes’ road to a state championship would have been much tougher.
“She’s our best fan, hands down,” Plein said. “She goes to all the meets. She goes to all the practices. She does everything from keeping stats and keeping the book to purchasing. She does everything. Every year we talk about the people who are going to be hard to replace. She will definitely be one of the toughest people to replace. She’s just a tremendous person.”
For Fruehling, every practice, every meet, every bus ride was a new experience. With a team of wrestlers, she never knew what to expect from one moment to the next.
“They are really quiet. The guys always stay toward the back and stay to themselves. I sit up front and mind my own business. It all works out,” Fruehling said.
Fruehling just completed her third season as team manager. As the team received the Class 2A trophy and celebrated the accomplishment, Fruehling soaked it all in.
Fruehling played a huge part in helping the Nikes win a state title.
“This is my third year. I started my sophomore year with a couple friends. The previous managers graduated, so they needed someone so we stepped up and did it. It’s been a fun ride ever since,” Fruehling said. “It’s really exciting. It shows the commitments they’ve all made behind the scenes. There are times when you don’t think all that work pays off, but it eventually does.”