After Breaking his Jaw in a Wrestling Match, Lovett Star Chris Mance Made his Comeback to Become a 3-time State Champion
By Landon Denker
In sports, your whole life can change in seconds. When you hear that one pop or tear or snap all the dreams you had about championship glory can disappear. Lovett star wrestler Chris Mance was coming off his second state championship when he broke his jaw on the mat.
A broken jaw is a crushing injury that not only sidelines you for months but also changes your entire life, affecting the way you talk and eat. In a sport where physical contact is everything, Chris felt nothing would ever be the same.
Chris shared that he was devastated when he found out he wouldn’t be able to wrestle for months, especially since he didn’t know when or if he’d get to finish out the season. “I remember crying when I first found out my jaw was broken because I felt like it was unfair that I was always getting injured. At this point I’ve had two major injuries and one minor injury that have affected my athletic career.” Chris then turned to religion, asking God why me and why do these things keep happening to me?
In time, Chris accepted the fact that his jaw was broken and that most of his season was going to be spent on the sideline. He revealed in the beginning of his recovery process, his mental health was pretty bad and that he felt sorry for himself. His turning point came when he started working out with strength and conditioning coach Neal Peduzzi. Working out with Coach Peduzzi everyday gave Chris something to focus his attention on. “It wasn’t until I started wrestling again and everyone was telling me how much bigger I’ve gotten and how much stronger I am, that I realized that breaking my jaw was a blessing in disguise.”
Coach Peduzzi had this to say about Chris’ work ethic and attitude: “Chris worked extremely hard while he couldn't wrestle. He never missed a day, never complained, just put his head down and worked. We did a few different things with him, and there were times I was a little worried he might not be back, but the next day he was on time and ready to go again.”
Chris’ comeback was greatly valued by the team. Head wrestling coach Billy Maldonado raved about Chris’ leadership after his return: “His injury was difficult because not only did we miss him during competition but we also missed him at practice. The minute he returned to practice it elevated the intensity in the room. He was the difference maker at the state duals when we captured 3rd place.”
Chris’ time off from wrestling allowed him to focus on getting bigger and stronger, something he wouldn’t have been able to do while wrestling. Chris now looks to become Lovett’s first ever 4-time state champion.
