Ryan Laing is a junior at P-Tech Norwalk, and is one of the best wrestlers to call themselves a bear. He has had one of the best seasons in Norwalk High history so far. He has improved a lot over the past couple of seasons, the Norwalk Bears are excited to see what Ryan Laing can do at the end of this season, in the FCIAC and state competitions.
So far this season, Ryan Laing has won 25 matches and lost 6, which is extremely impressive. What is even more impressive is that he has not lost one match in the FCIAC. Teammate, Liana Rodriguez says, “Ryan is an amazing wrestler, and it doing really well. He works really hard, and has accomplished a lot so far this season.”
There haven’t been many wrestlers in the history of Norwalk High School who wrestle like Ryan. An example of someone who is said to be one of the best wrestlers in Norwalk High History is Brendan Gilchrist, a 2023 graduate, and one of 6 wrestlers in Norwalk High Wrestling history to have over 100 wins. In the regular season of Gilchrist’s junior year, he went 24-2. Laing’s 25-6 junior season record shows that he is right on track to be one of the next greats.
Wrestling means a lot to Ryan Laing. He began his wrestling career when he was 5, but didn’t enjoy it very much. He decided to stick with it, and continue to play, and he is glad he did. He said, “I have been in love with wrestling, because it has helped me make connections in and out of the wrestling world, and taught me things like respect and responsibility. I have also made a lot of friends along the way too, especially during youth wrestling.” Wrestling has had a huge impact on him as a person, and has made him who he is.
Ryan Laing is known to be one of the kindest people on this planet. He is a monster on the mat, but off the mat, he is the complete opposite. Senior captain, Nick Fatone said, “He’s a tough kid and he always is in a good mood around his teammates. He’s a great teammate to have around and is fun to wrestle around with.” There are many great wrestlers in the FCIAC and overall state of Connecticut, but being known as a good person is what sets Ryan Laing apart from them.
In the month of February, Laing has many important matches. He is participating in the FCIAC, class LL, and state opens. Laing has a history in these competitions in the recent years. Last year, as a sophomore, he placed third in the FCIAC, losing 7-6 in the semifinals. He also placed third in the class LL competition, and won 3 state open matches. He is having an excellent junior season so far, so it is exciting to see what he can do in these upcoming events.
