There were at least two good things this week for Davidson’s Alex and Vitaly Radsky: They were on spring break, and they were preparing for a trip to Chattanooga’s McKenzie Arena for Saturday’s Southern Conference wrestling tournament.
It could have been much different for the Radsky twins if their parents hadn’t emigrated to the U.S. from the Ukraine when they were 3 years old.
“I don’t have much memory of it, and I didn’t really keep up with (the area and its politics),” Alex said of the former Soviet Union state. “I know more because I’m taking a class this semester called post-Soviet politics.”
They haven’t learned that much about their heritage from their parents. Home is Ohio.
“Occasionally we talk about it,” Vitaly said. “They don’t emphasize it that much. I know I’m pretty luck.”
They’re lucky in that life here is much better with both parents working in information technology than it would have been on the southwest border of Russia along the Black sea.
“It wasn’t a good situation. They didn’t live that well,” Vitaly said. “There were no luxuries, and they live in a small apartment with a lot of people.”
Much more of their concentration this week has been on their postseason tournament.
“This year has been really tough. I have been losing a lot, and I’m not used to losing,” Alex said. “Every match is tough. If you don’t come out ready to wrestle your best you’re not going to win. I’m a little small for the weight class (133 pounds), but wrestling is more aggressive. Everything they do is better. When they shoot, it’s harder to counter, and when I shoot it’s harder to finish.”
Vitaly is a natural 125-pounder, but he lost a wrestle-off to senior Ben Altman — the tournament’s likely No. 2 seed behind UTC’s Javier Maldonado — and then didn’t want to challenge his brother. He moved up to 141 pounds.
“I haven’t wrestled anyone I’m going to see at the tournament. It will be all new guys. I know it’s going to be tough, but I’m excited and in the future I definitely want to be an All-American,” Alex said. “I don’t see the point in wrestling if you don’t want to be good, because it’s a tough sport.”
The two would likely have to win the tournament in order to make the NCAA tournament this season because there are only 15 spots available. Ten of those go to the champions, leaving only five wild-card selections.
The tournament begins at 11 a.m. Saturday and championship finals will begin at 7 p.m.
