Josh Rodriguez, Ernest Righetti High School graduate and Santa Maria local, went two for two the weekend of March 20 at the NCAA National Wrestling Championships in St. Louis, Mo.
“The weekend was rewarding,” Rodriguez told the Sun, and he hopes to return next year to pursue his goal of becoming a Division 1 wrestling champion.
“It was a great experience being out there,” he said. “I didn’t accomplish what I wanted to. It was a hard road once I lost my first match. My mind was still focused, and I was ready to go. There are just a few things that I have to work on here and there.”
Rodriguez, who grew up boxing and playing football, started wrestling in sixth grade. He made varsity his freshman year at Righetti and wrestled a storied four seasons—graduating a three-time CIF and two-time Master’s Tournament champion. He placed at the state tournament twice.
“It was immediately clear that Josh was talented,” said his father Angel Rodriguez. “You could see that he had a knack for it.”
Rodriguez was approached by Manny Ramirez, the assistant wrestling coach for North Dakota State University, his junior year of high school. Ramirez wrestled with Righetti coaches Andrew Domingues and Justin Bronson at the University of Minnesota. He recruited Rodriguez, helping the high schooler fulfill his goal of competing in Division 1 NCAA wrestling. Rodriguez also got to wrestle beside his big brother, Anthony, who was already attending the university.
It was Bronson and Dominguez, recalled Rodriguez, who prepared him for North Dakota.
“Having Bronson and Dominguez as my coaches, they knew what it takes to be at that college level,” he said. “It made the transition a lot easier for me. They just got me ready for the next level.”
North Dakota is much colder than Santa Maria, Rodriguez said, but he is glad for the opportunities it’s provided.
“The winter is pretty brutal, but it’s something I have to deal with to accomplish my goals and get better at wrestling,” he said. “I really like it out here.”
He misses the weather and family that he left behind in California, but his fans there still reach out and actively support him.
“I’d like to thank the community back home,” he said. “Local boy trying to do big things, and I have support from that column and it feels great.”
