The 2016 Senior Perspectives is the 11th in a series of annual collections. Senior captains and representatives of teams at Harvard have been invited to contribute viewpoints based on personal experience from both their senior seasons and full varsity careers at Harvard.

For a complete listing of 2016 Senior Perspectives, click here.

Devon Gobbo, Wrestling
Hometown: Basking Ridge, N.J.
Concentration: Economics
House Affiliation: Dunster

Wrestling is an incredibly personal and emotional sport.  A win can make you feel like you've conquered the world, but your next loss can easily leave you in tears.  At the NCAA tournament it is not a rare sight to see grown men broken down after falling short of their goals.  When it's all said and done, only a few lucky wrestlers get to end their careers on a high note.  But I would argue that almost every wrestler would refuse to trade in his career for anyone else's.  The ups and downs of our careers have a way of shaping the lives we lead.  This is absolutely true for my career at Harvard.

Every match and practice presents an opportunity for growth.  In the moment, this growth often feels specific to wrestling.  But while we are building muscle and perfecting technique, we are simultaneously building our character.  Personal growth is implicit in wrestling.  I believe this concept makes people cherish their careers.  Without MY wrestling career, I would not have the same character and values that I do today.  As I look back over my four years here, I see incredible growth in my teammates and myself since our freshman year.  This aspect of our sport is a true gift.

Although few wrestlers end their careers achieving all of their goals, for most of us, the memories and relationships we've made trump the trophies.  As I leave Harvard wrestling, I can say this holds true for me.  The bonds that I've forged with my teammates and coaches are priceless.  So too are the memories I've made competing, traveling, and sharing meals with my teammates.  As senior year comes to an end, I can already feel how much I will miss my teammates and coaches.  But, I know that the relationships I've made are strong enough to last far into the future.  In this way, I will never fully leave Harvard wrestling.
Another benefit that Harvard Athletics has given me is a passion for competition.  While many people back down from competition, Harvard athletes are some of the best competitors in the world.  We travel across the country to face the toughest Division I competition, only to come home and compete academically with the most intelligent and creative students in the world.  Our competitive nature is unmatched.  I am so thankful to have been surrounded by such competitive people for the past four years.  They have driven me to be a better person on and off the mat. 

Overall, Harvard Athletics is an experience that I will never forget.  I've seen tremendous personal growth over my time here whether that came from hard practices, the heat of competition, the classroom or random dining hall conversations.  The relationships and memories I've made with Harvard wrestlers, athletes and students will stay with me for years to come.  The passion I've developed for competition will fuel my future endeavors.  Thank you, Harvard, for these incredible four years.