LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Eastern High School wrestling team was a powerhouse back in the day. The school is home to 4 time regional and 8 time district champs, and after more than a ten-year hiatus without the program, it’s finally back.

What You Need To Know

  •  Eastern High School's wrestling program is back after nearly a decade

  •  20 students make up the 2022 team

  • Junior Aiden Caudill is taking on the sport of wrestling for the first time

“I was quite excited. I had done some grappling sports in the past and felt like it would be a good transition into a wrestling team,” said Aidan Caudill, junior at Eastern High School.

Caudill is just one of the 20 student-athletes who have helped put wrestling back on the map at Eastern High School, and it’s all thanks to head coach Ren Pittman. 

“I was excited to come back and get it going and we’ve had our growing pains and it’s been interesting,” Pittman said. “I’ve had a lot to learn and we have kids that have a lot to learn, but I think we’ve started off pretty well.”

Eastern High School wrestlers practicing over Christmas break. (Spectrum News 1/Erin Wilson)

For Caudill, it’s a sport that means more than just the wins and losses—It’s getting the chance to follow in his father’s footsteps.

“He’s gone to the competitions and we talk about it and he’s like, ‘well when I was your age I would do this and this,’” Caudill recalled. “And it’s kind of neat to have that sort of conversation with him and something we’re both excited about.”

After not getting a high school wrestling experience himself, Pittman is now giving Eastern High School that chance he always dreamed of.

“You can say it as much as you want but until they get in there and they go 6 minutes and they feel that, it’s very very rewarding to see a kid get involved in something that’s the toughest thing they’ve ever had to do in their life and come out the other side a different person,” Pittman said.

With hopes one day they’ll grow the program into what it once was.

“Every day in the gym, I see the banner of wrestling in the past and championships that we’ve gone to so hopefully now that were building back up a program we can get back to the level we were once were at,” Caudill said.

The last time Eastern High School wrestling was regional champions was back in 2010, most recently winning the district championship in 1999.