VW’s Steyer reflects on successful career

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

There’s no question the 2019-2020 season didn’t end the way he had hoped it would, but Gabe Steyer will still go down as perhaps the greatest wrestler in Van Wert High School history.

His accomplishments were quite notable: he was a four-time Western Buckeye League champion and never lost a WBL match. He was a three-time Division II sectional champion and a two-time district champion, the only Van Wert wrestler to ever win a district title, and was a three-time state qualifier and an alternate the other year.

In addition, Steyer finished his final season 43-2, which tied Joel Penton’s record for victories in a single season and with 159 wins, he holds the school record for career victories (159-17). 

However, his senior season and career came to an abrupt end when the 83^rd Ohio High School Athletic Association Individual State Wrestling Tournament was postponed by COVID-19 concerns. 

The announcement was made March 12, the day before the tournament was scheduled to begin.

“The day they postponed the state tournament, I had all my bags packed and ready to go and I was in my last period of the day, just minutes before leaving the school for Columbus,” Steyer explained. “I was already a little shaken up over my whole family and fan base not being able to be there, and then when I heard it was postponed I instantly was in a terrible state of mind.”

“It hit me like a truck, knowing that my dream was in jeopardy, and that what I worked so hard for my whole life could possibly taken from me. It was the worst feeling I ever felt, and I will never forget it.”

“The timing of the postponement of the state tournament couldn’t have happened at a worse time,” Van Wert head wrestling coach Ben Collins said. “My initial thought was that it was my role to make sure that Gabe stayed focused on the task at hand. The sport of wrestling is like no other in the fact that we train all season to peak on one weekend.”

As fans of Ohio sports know, the postponement became an outright cancellation of all winter sports tournaments two weeks later.

“I hate to say it but we all saw it coming, although that didn’t make it any easier at all,” Steyer said. “Coach sent me workout plans to do on my own since we weren’t allowed to practice together, but in the back of my mind I just had a terrible feeling that districts would be my last time on the mat.”

“It was a dreadful experience and it still is,” Steyer added. “When they finally announced it I was heartbroken, and I honestly was just trying to find things like work and spending time with my family to distract me. This will be a touchy subject for a long time.” 

“We held out hope but we also had to be realistic,” Collins said. “When word of cancellation came down, my thoughts switched to what Gabe had been through in the last couple of weeks. It is hard to see a career come to an end for any athlete who has put his heart and soul into something and it’s even worse when that athlete is not given the opportunity to end it on the mat.”

Despite the shock and disappointment for Steyer, his family and the coaches, Collins noted his talented wrestler handled the situation with class.

“We have always taught in our program that there is more to life than wrestling and our goal is for each athlete to become a better person because of our program and part of that is how you react to different situations and events,” Collins said. “We as humans can only control what we can control and at times we are going to be handed some adversity and how we respond to that is our true character. Gabe has handled this situation like many others. He has recognized it as an uncontrollable, responded to it and realized there is more to life than wrestling and we couldn’t be more proud of the way he has operated.” 

While reflecting on his wrestling career, Steyer explained that one of his favorite moments dates back to his freshman year.

“I won the league and the sectional and I think I surprised a lot of people by doing so, including myself,” Steyer said. “It was that year when I became a state alternate, that I knew what I was capable of and I didn’t plan to let anything get in my way. Having the opportunity to be a state qualifier in my grasp year one of high school was a real eye opener for me, and inspired me to push harder through the next seasons.”

Prior to the 2018-2019 season, Van Wert never had a district wrestling champion, but that changed when Steyer won the 138-pound Division II district championship at Norwalk High School, and he followed up with a repeat performance in the same weight class last month.

“I honestly didn’t realize how special it was going to be until I actually accomplished it and I felt the feeling of being not only a district champ, but Van Wert’s first district champ,” Steyer said, “I was starstruck and completely in awe of being No. 1 in the district the first year I won it, especially because I was not picked to win my district that year. I wrestled a tough wrestler who had beaten me twice between my freshman and sophomore years.”

Looking back, Collins noted three major things stood out about Steyer, including the amount of work he put in to master his craft.

“Gabe started wrestling at a young age and put in the time to be as successful as possible,” Collins explained. “Gabe comes from a wrestling family – his dad wrestled at Tiffin Calvert, his uncle is involved in the sport, and his family made many sacrifices to help him be successful.”

“The second thing that sticks out is his rate of success at the high school level. When Gabe came to the high school team, he was already a good enough wrestler to be successful and he showed that his freshman year wrestling as a state alternate.”

“The third thing that sticks out is the way that he has matured and become a leader over his career. His leadership is something that we as coaches always talked about, but Gabe didn’t realize he had that in him. His senior season he did a great job of leading our team and being a positive asset to Van Wert wrestling. He really took on the leadership role and was a positive leader throughout the season for his teammates.”

In turn, Steyer praised Collins and the coaching staff for their help in making him so successful.

“One thing about coach Ben and the rest of my coaching staff was they always believed in me and thought or knew I could beat anyone,” Steyer said. “When I didn’t believe in myself, they always reminded me to push that extra rep, or that extra lap, or the extra time after practice, because they ultimately knew my worth.” 

As for Steyer’s future, wrestling at the collegiate level isn’t in his plans, but that doesn’t mean he’s leaving the sport.

“I plan on going to the Fire Academy in Columbus and becoming a fireman/paramedic,” Steyer said. “What I do know is that I never want to walk away from this sport. I would love to take my talents and become a coach someday and hopefully inspire kids younger than me to be better than me someday.” 

“I want to thank everyone,” Steyer added. “My friends, family, coaches and the whole Cougar Nation for having my back through this whole journey. I couldn’t have done it without them behind me. I want to thank everyone for pushing me through thick and thin, and helping me accomplish everything I have.”

“I’m really going to miss wearing a VW on my chest. I want to thank God for giving me this amazing talent and awesome opportunity. He is truly who made all this happen, and I want to give all my glory to him.”