Meet Salem wrestling team's
'New Kids on the Block'

BY CHARLES ROTHWELL
Jan. 5, 2010, 6:45 a.m.

  Alex Arble was inspired to wrestle by his father, who was a captain for Westland John Glenn's wrestling team some years back. Arble never wrestled before this, his freshman year.

  He is close to attaining his personal goals for the season: winning a varsity spot and earning his letter. If he keeps improving, he thinks he may add another goal: becoming a regional qualifier.

  By the time he graduates, Arble would like to be an all-state wrestler. Arble hasn't decided between joining the Air Force or going straight to college after high school. If he chooses the Air Force, he thinks he might want to wrestle.

  Cody Korpus started to wrestle in third grade because his older brother, Steve, joined Plymouth's wrestling team and really liked it. Korpus started out with the Plymouth wrestling club, but switched to the Canton wrestling club when coach Amine left Plymouth for Brighton.

  Korpus wants to become a state qualifier this year and a state champ by the end of his high school career. Korpus plans to focus on academics in college and wants to become a neurologist.

  James Bushaw has an uncle who attended high school here and although he did not wrestle, he admired both the wrestlers and the sport, and spoke highly of both young James. So when Central Middle School gym teacher Mark Lapointe introduced the sixth grader to wrestling, Bushaw was immediately enthusiastic.

  After three years of middle school wrestling, this 130-pound freshman is looking to earn his varsity letter and perhaps become a regional qualifier this year. Bushaw is aiming to be a state qualifier his sophomore year and become state champ before he graduates. His post-high school plans are not set at this time, but a college degree and rewarding career are two of his goals.

  Wrestling runs deep in Tyler Gross' family. His father and uncle wrestled, and his older brother, Jimmy, is a senior captain for the Rocks. As a fifth grader, Gross would come to Salem's open room with his brother. In the ensuing years, Gross wrestled for West Middle School and for the Salem wrestling club.

  He, too, has goals of earning a varsity letter and making it out of individual districts in his first year in high school. Gross wants to be a multiple state placer and eventually a state champion.

  Gross also would love to follow in his brother's footsteps and be the Rocks' captain. He wants to study archeology and paleontology in college, and would consider wrestling if the opportunity arises.