Summer vacation? Not for Brody Buzzard.
If anything, the next couple months will be a grind for Buzzard. Coming off a junior year in which he helped lead Marist Catholic to the 4A football title and won a third consecutive individual wrestling title for 3A Harrisburg, Buzzard isn't resting on his laurels.
Between football college prospects camps, the Les Schwab Bowl, 7-on-7 passing league, the Junior National Wrestling Duals in Wisconsin and the Junior National Wrestling training camp and tournament in Fargo, N.D., Buzzard will be going virtually nonstop.
“I feel like a lot of kids, they like to just take the summer and kind of just relax and not really work on what they need to get better at,” Buzzard said. “I feel like this is a moment, a two-month period, where I can just spread the gap.”
Buzzard transferred from Harrisburg – where his father, Scott, is the athletic director – to Marist Catholic as a sophomore. Because Marist Catholic does not offer wrestling, he has continued to wrestle for the Eagles.
He had a breakout junior season at inside linebacker for the Spartans, recording 109 tackles and making the 4A first team. He returned an interception 53 yards for a touchdown in the semifinals and had 14 tackles and a half-sack in the state championship game.
In wrestling, he followed titles at 145 and 165 pounds with a championship at 175. He is one step away from becoming Harrisburg's second four-time champion, joining Dax Bennett (2016-19).
“I'm looking to just continue what I've done this junior year, by making some noise and grabbing some people's attention,” Buzzard said. “I'm getting excited for competing. That's just what I love.”
This month, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound Buzzard has participated in football camps at Oregon State, Boise State and Oregon. He will go to a camp at Washington State before competing for Team Oregon in the Junior National Wrestling Duals in Milwaukiee, Wis., next week.
Upon his return, he will report to Lewis & Clark College to train in preparation for the Les Schwab Bowl on June 27. Buzzard will get a chance to test himself against top players from the state's bigger schools.
“I'm excited for that, getting to bond with those coaches and get new perspectives on their coaching philosophies,” he said. “It's going to be fun.”
He will go to the Junior National Wrestling training camp in Fargo from June 30 to July 2, then go back to Fargo for the tournament July 12-21. In late July, he will attend football camps at Idaho, Idaho State and Montana State.
In between, he will work in practices for wrestling and football, as well as 7-on-7 passing league games.
When can he take a break?
“On the weekends, I'll have a day or a half-day,” Buzzard said. “I'll really focus on my recovery, my stretching, just my body. It's not only just training and playing and competing, it's also the recovery piece. So I've got to balance that out.”
Buzzard said that shifting between wrestling and football isn't difficult for him.
“I feel like the two sports tie together really well,” he said. “It's not really much different. Football, it's just more running, you're doing more cardio. Wrestling, I feel like a lot of my matches are pretty similar to football. The physicality is what's really similar.”
Last year, Buzzard won three of his five matches at Junior Nationals, making a run in the consolation bracket. He is hoping to make a better showing in the championship bracket this year.
“Fargo comes down to how hard you prepare, and how hard you push in those matches,” he said. “That's what I need to fix this summer with my training. I feel like I'm going to have a lot more success this summer.”
Buzzard has not decided if he will pursue wrestling or football in college. He said he has the potential to do both, but it will come down to choosing one. He is hopeful to draw the attention of football scouts this summer.
“I'm just really looking to get my name out there,” he said. “I feel like I have the potential to play at the Division II, Division I level. If it comes down to walking on, that would be another possibility.”
In the fall, Buzzard's leadership will be key for Marist Catholic in its bid to repeat.
“Me and a couple other guys, I feel like the whole team is going to be on our back,” said Buzzard, who is likely to contribute on offense for the first time. “We're going to be carrying the team this year.”
After adding about 20 pounds since last year, Buzzard will make a big jump in weight class for wrestling. He believes he is ready to take on the challenge at 215.
“Senior year I'm really just looking to dominate,” he said. “Cutting weight isn't really a necessity.”
jerryu@osaa.org
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