The 2022 Senior Perspectives is the 17th 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.

AJ Jaffe
Hometown: St. Charles, Ill.
Concentration: Economics
House Affiliation: Winthrop

The best highlight of my time at Harvard, without a doubt, has been Harvard wrestling. I have been involved with the sport of wrestling for nearly 20 years. The sport has done so much for me, but nothing compares to Harvard wrestling.
 
Many of us graduating this year and that have graduated the past couple years have not had conventional collegiate careers due to Covid-19. This disease truly took a toll on so many and impacted the careers of countless athletes. Words really cannot describe how difficult it has been to navigate through these times, but we all found a way. Instead of dwelling and letting the disease and its repercussions overwhelm us, Harvard wrestling came together. We were determined to not only keep committing to each other through intense training on our own, daily communication and new and innovative ways to keep bettering ourselves, but to be positive lights in a time where negativity swarmed all of us. Coach Weiss and the coaches of Harvard wrestling, consistently preached this message throughout Covid-19, and our team completely embraced it. We not only committed ourselves to each other, but committed ourselves to our friends and family, communities and more to be positive rays of light to help lift the spirits of all those around us.
 
As Harvard wrestlers, we were prepared to be able to endure the uncertainty that laid ahead as well as impacting the lives of others during one of the most difficult times. This was only possible through the values, lessons and character traits that have been instilled in all of us through coach Weiss and the coaching staff, from one another and Harvard wrestling.
 
Harvard wrestling has completely changed my life. When I first entered the program, coach Weiss told me that he is not coaching me to be a great wrestler, his goal was to make my teammates and I better people and young men that can be positive influences in the world. I can confidently say that through my time and experience with Harvard wrestling, I have become a better person and young man. I have had some of my best times and worst times throughout my collegiate career; I have made lifelong friendships and relationships with teammates and coaches that I will consider family for the rest of my life; and I have gained values and principles that I will carry with me for the rest of my life, in which I am certain they will help prepare me to deal with whatever life throws at me. All of this was only possible through Harvard wrestling.
 
Harvard wrestling has been one of the best things that has ever happened to me. I am eternally grateful and blessed to have been a part of something so special. Harvard wrestling made my collegiate years the best years of my life and has changed my life forever.