Blake Kenney (‘22) takes the floor to face a Dublin opponent in the last match of the evening. However, the excitement didn’t last long as Kenney ended the match with a pin in just 15 seconds. This was one of the many unforgettable moments during his incredible 4 year wrestling career at Amador. 

Kenney has been wrestling since 6th grade and entered Amador’s wrestling program during his freshman year. He fearlessly embraced a leadership role at the start of his junior year in 2020. His leadership was notable to the team’s success and distinguishable by his coaches.

“Blake is the epitome of an Amador athlete. He is everything you want him to be. He’s a team leader, he’s a great wrestler, he’s a great person, he’s a good student, he’s the perfect example, as a coach, what I want in an Amador wrestler,” said Assistant Coach Phillip Peacock. 

Being a captain for the program has allowed Kenney to be more social, outgoing, and vocal. He has learned to think of the other person’s perspective when addressing teammates and being less timid. 

“Wrestling gave me a sense of community and what made it special is the coaches and teammates always being there with you. Everyone is your family in the wrestling room. Even though wrestling is [an] individual sport, it’s the team that makes it so special,” said Kenney.

Kenney’s biggest challenge was dealing with injuries. His fractured patella was never surgically repaired and lingered throughout his high school career. He is currently battling a torn infraspinatus and torn labrum that caused losses in his last two matches. 

“One of the most important things I learned [from injuries] was determination, always looking towards the end, and powering through whatever challenges came [my] way,” said Kenney. 

Kenney is currently a TA for Amador’s Sports Medicine class and enrolled in the program during his sophomore and junior year. While he will continue pursuing other passions like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo, Kenney will not be wrestling in college. Kinesiology is the career path he is looking to take.

“I’m going to be studying athletic training at Boise State University. I’m looking forward to expanding my knowledge on the field and hopefully being an athletic trainer professionally,” said Kenney.

Kenney is looking to pass on the leadership role at Amador to Julius Ramos (‘23), who will be the team captain for the upcoming 2022-23 season. They’ve been teammates since Ramos’ freshman year, learning and guiding one another during that time. 

“He always gets on the team a lot and he shows good leadership in and out [of] the room and provides a good example for the incoming freshmen and sophomores. You could tell he likes being a leader of a team,” said Ramos.

As for his teammates, he wishes each of them the best of luck. Encouraging words include staying the course and continuing to fight and work hard every day. 

“Always realize that the people in the room are your family, they’re going to be there for you. Always try to finish what you started,” said Kenney.