Polen Earns Gamer of the Week Honors

Teays Physical Therapy Center, Inc. and The Putnam Herald are pleased to present this week’s Male Gamer of the Week to Kaden Polen of Hurricane Wrestling!  

Kaden Polen has been dominant for Hurricane Wrestling this season. The Senior is 23-5 and is undefeated against instate opponents. He went 5-0 at the Beckly Husqvarna Duals where he pinned the #5 and #9 wrestlers in the state. When discussing his success this season Polen said, “This is my 13th year wrestling and I put in a lot of work in the summers, traveling to clubs, going to multiple practices a day, and just putting in the work that nobody sees.”  

Earlier this season, Polen won the Mountain State Athletic Conference tournament and reached his 100th career win. “Kaden has been a fantastic leader for our team. He’s mature and takes on big matches with focus. He is a great example of success over time with hard work. We count on him and we are looking for him to finish strong,” said Head Coach Ryan Wheeler.   

Polen has been a member of hurricane wrestling since youth league. He says that his dad just put him in wrestling when he was young and he’s been doing it since. He likes the physicality of the sport, and that it is just hard work. There is not a prerequisite like being tall for basketball, it is just about the work you have put in. When discussing role models, he pointed to his coach Ryan Wheeler and his dad for always pushing him to be his best.   

Looking ahead, Polen has his sights on competing for a state title this season. He is also weighing his options to wrestle in college, and is interested in studying nursing which he is currently working toward Medical Assisting License from Putnam County Technical Center.    

Hurricane Wrestling will be back in action on Friday at the WSAZ High School Invitational.  

Please look for other local high school athletes to be named in next week’s male Gamer of the Week Sponsored by Teays Physical Therapy Center, Inc., and The Putnam Herald

AJ WHITE, MS, MBA, CSCS, is Director of Fitness Operations at Teays Physical Therapy Center Inc.