KALISPELL — Wrestling season is in full swing and one man from Kalispell Glacier, Teegan Vasquez, is chasing history, looking to become a four-time state champion.
"It would be really cool to have a four-timer," said the current three-time champion Teegan Vasquez. "I mean even in the (Flathead) valley just kind of leaving my stamp on my city, just the community too because I mean it’s not just about wrestling, it’s more than that."
Vasquez comes from a wrestling family with two older siblings who wrestled before him.
"Even over this break I think yesterday I wrestled my brother, he was home for the weekend so (we) got a little roll in. And even Christmas we got a little roll in so, I mean, wrestling is kind of our life," said Vasquez with a smile. "My dad and I talk about it, my brother, we all talk about it, we’re kind of a wrestling family so it kind of comes from a bloodline and we just get it done."
Vasquez’s coach, Ross Dankers, says his skill and work ethic is unparalleled.
"I think that combination of natural ability and his work ethic is really one-of-a-kind that I haven’t been around in my time here," said Dankers.
High praise from Dankers who is in his tenth year as the wrestling head coach at Glacier.
"He has set the tempo so incredibly high already this year, just completely dominating everybody," said an impressed Dankers. "And he’s disappointed if he doesn’t pin them right away, like if they even hang with him for one period it’s like, ‘Dang it, we gotta get this guy.'"
When it comes to chasing his fourth state title Dankers knows Vasquez is more than equipped to complete the task at hand.
"You know sometimes it’s hard to stay motivated when you’re pinning everybody, and he will, he’s gonna stay motivated and find those little details and hopefully just dominate his way through that fourth state title," said Dankers.
Even with the chance to make history Vasquez hopes his legacy is remembered more so for his hard work than the accolades.
"More excited about just leaving a legacy here, just leaving that kind of work ethic and that kind of building and working hard in here and kind of just showing all the guys I can do that and leaving that behind," said Vasquez with a smile.
Vasquez will have his chance to leave his legacy.
