Who’s That Bulldog? – Eli Fischer
Milbank Area Wrestling February 27, 2020 Staff Writer 0
Eli Fischer is a senior at MHS and a wrestler. You might even say Eli is all about wrestling.
Eli, son of Charles and Johanna Fischer, has been on the Bulldog varsity squad since eighth grade. He qualified for the state tournament four out of his five years on the team. As a freshman, Eli placed fifth at State. His sophomore year he earned fourth place, and last year as a junior, he finished sixth. “I don’t really have a greatest moment that stands out,” he said. “Every year has been fun and intense, but I hope the ending this year will be interesting.”
Eli enters his final state wrestling tournament as the No. 2 seed in the 126-pound weight class. His goal is to come home with a state championship title. “That’s the goal. That’s always been the goal,” he said. “I’m hoping the best moment in my career comes this weekend.”
That moment would be the culmination of five years of highs and lows. “Naturally the low is losing,” he conceded. That takes a lot away from you. You can do your best and still not beat a kid because they are just better than you. Sometimes you catch someone off guard and get a win. But, if they are better than you, you have to keep putting in the hard work and it will finally catch up with them, and you will get the win.” He cites winning and achieving his goals as some of the highs, but repeated, “I hope my greatest achievement comes this weekend.”
Reflecting on his senior season, he said, “There’s more responsibility as a senior, but my role is still pretty similar this year as other years. I try and lead more by example than vocally. I just want to make an impact by showing the other guys what I can do and by working hard.”
Eli says. “It feels like an accomplishment to make it all the way to the end like this with everything I’ve had to deal with like cutting weight and injuries. “I’ve hurt my knee a few times, had a concussion, hip issues, mono twice, and influenza this year.” He said, “Those situations seemed more difficult to handle than cutting weight. That has become a lifestyle.” He added. “It doesn’t bother me; I kind of like it. I take care of my weight all by myself; my family doesn’t have anything to do with it. It’s all on me.”
”I have one goal in mind and that is all I want to do,” he said. But, sometimes things get rough. “There have been times where I’ve wanted to quit,” Eli said with a sigh. “My dad has always been there to make me stick it out, which has definitely helped me in the long run.” He added, “I’m very focused, I try very hard, and keep more to myself during the wrestling season.”
In the off-season, he says, “I played golf to keep myself busy and to stay out of trouble.” “I didn’t want to do something to hurt my wrestling career. Everything I do revolves around wrestling and my wrestling schedule.”
“As soon as wrestling is over, though, any kind of food that is put in front of my face gets eaten,” he said with a ravenous smile. “But you can never go wrong with pizza.”
When he finds free time, he plays baseball, coaches little kids baseball, takes time to chill and cruise with friends, watches high school basketball games, lifts, runs, and tries to stay healthy.
Eli has been accepted into the physical therapy assistant program at Lake Area Technical Institute in Watertown for next fall. After completion, he plans to come back to Milbank to work.
Photo by VPD Studio
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