ARLINGTON — For Arlington wrestler Jeremy Nygard, it’s the competition that keeps him wrestling all year round.

After placing third in state as a sophomore for Arlington High School back in February, Jeremy went on to compete in other tournaments later in the year.

“It’s the drive I get,” Nygard said. “I’m never satisfied with my wins, and I’m always hungry for more.”

Wrestling in tournaments in the offseason allows Nygard to stay in shape. The styles used in the tournaments are different than the folk-style he uses in high school.

The folk-style, also known as the scholastic style used in middle and high school, allows holds, trips and takedowns below the waste. International styles like Greco-Roman focus on upper body control and prohibits the use of legs in a match.

Freestyle is another international style that is similar to folk-style but is scored differently.

“It keeps me wrestling, and improves my offense,” Nygard said of the different styles.

He recently got home from Fargo, N.D. wrestling for nationals, where he won two matches and lost two.

Before that he competed in the World Sports Festival in Vienna, Austria, placing first in the 120-pound weight class.

Freestyle is Nygard’s favorite style he said, but he also used some techniques from folk-style he normally uses in high school.

“He wrestled really well,” his coach, Jim Smoots, said. “He used an American style the other wrestlers weren’t used to.”

Editor’s note: For more on this story, see the July 26-27 edition of The Arlington Times.