Senior wrestler Luke Swan is looking to finish off his High school career strong. Qualifying for State two times, being All-Conference and a two-time Fargo qualifier, he steps on the high school mat one last time and reflects on all the little steps it took for him to be where he is now.

“The offseason is what built me both physically and mentally because you get to learn a lot more about yourself and the limits you can go to. I feel like I have put in the most work this off-season specifically because I want to make the last high school year my best,” Swan said.

Coach Sean Lovelace has been a part of Swan’s life since he was in sixth grade. Lovelace is the head wrestling coach at DGS. Lovelace describes the toughness and grit Swan has that not all wrestlers have.

“He is pound for pound, probably one of the strongest kids in the school, and he has worked extremely hard this off-season to build himself into a formidable opponent for his senior season. I am very excited to watch the fruits of his labor this season,” Lovelace said.

Athletes all have someone who was the foundation of their journey. For Swan, his mentor is his cousin. He taught Swan the basics of wrestling, and to be fearless when stepping onto the mat to face your worst enemy: your opponent.

“He was my first coach and taught me how to become the best of the best. The mindset changed from backyard wrestling to big boy wrestling, and that’s when the switch flipped for me,” Swan said.

Fargo is the biggest and best high school national wrestling tournament in the United States located in Fargo, North Dakota. With a division for different regions, Swan took part in the Junior Greco-Roman Division and Qualified for Fargo in July of 2022. Swan reflects on his trip to Fargo and the things he did outside of wrestling.

“The trip up there was an awesome experience, and I had a ton of fun. The best part about it was going with my best friend Ben Bielawski. We went out to eat with some of the other Illinois guys and messed around. Off the mat, memories are great to have because those are the ones you’ll always remember,” Swan said.

Lovelace also mentions how much of an impact Swan has had on the wrestling program at DGS. Swans’ roll on varsity played a huge part when it came to the mat.

“Luke made an immediate impact in our program, wrestling and excelling on the varsity level as a freshman in high school, placing in several high-level tournaments and earning All-Conference before an injury cut his freshman year short,” Lovelace said.

Swans’ mindset for his senior season is no different than it has been in the past. He looks to achieve goals that have been roadblocked and make his name at DGS.

“My goals have always been set from the beginning of the year. I sit and write down the two most important goals I want to achieve in the upcoming season. This year, I want to be All-State and most importantly win state, and I feel I can achieve both of those things,” Swan said.