“You Have to Want It Really Bad”: Enrique Olivares’ Senior-Year Surge

Some wrestlers grow up on the mat. Others find it later—and make up for lost time with urgency.

Enrique Olivares falls firmly into the second category. Now a senior at Terry High School and the #2 ranked 138-pound wrestler in Houston, Olivares has turned what started as a post-football experiment into one of the most dominant senior seasons in the city. A 6th-place state finisher last year, he’s taken a massive leap forward in 2025, winning six tournaments, including the prestigious CFISD Tournament, and entering the postseason with just one loss—a razor-thin defeat to one of the best 6A wrestlers in Texas that came down to the final seconds.

This isn’t a breakout season by accident. It’s the result of lessons learned the hard way—and a refusal to repeat them.

From Newcomer to Believer

Olivares didn’t enter high school with a wrestling background. In fact, he didn’t enter with much sports experience at all.

“I got involved in wrestling at the beginning of my high school career when I was a freshman,” he says. “I was new to sports and joined after football season.”

What changed everything was a conversation. His freshman football coach—who also happened to be the head wrestling coach—encouraged Enrique and his friends to give wrestling a try. He thought he knew what he was getting into.

“I was willing to join because I thought it was like WWE,” he laughs. “But I was completely wrong.”

What made him stay wasn’t early success—it was the opposite.

“I stuck with it because I wanted to get better at a sport I wasn’t good at,” Olivares says, “and because of my coach, Ron Robertson.”

That combination—personal determination and the right mentor—laid the foundation for everything that followed.

Growth Through Mindset

Ask Olivares what separates him from other wrestlers, and the answer isn’t flashy technique or natural talent.

It’s mindset.

“I push myself to be better than I was the day before,” he says. “And I always try to keep a positive mindset when I wrestle.”

That mentality has shaped how he trains, competes, and responds to adversity. Every match becomes feedback. Every day is a chance to improve.

And nowhere was that lesson reinforced more clearly than at the state tournament last season.

The Losses That Changed Everything

As a junior, Olivares finished 6th at state—an impressive achievement, but one that left him with unfinished business.

His final two matches still stick with him.

“I lost my first match in double overtime by two points,” he recalls. “My second one by one point.”

Those losses didn’t discourage him. They clarified everything.

“It opened my eyes,” Olivares says. “I knew I had to be more aggressive my senior year, or I wouldn’t see a change in my outcome.”

That realization reshaped his approach—and it shows in every match he wrestles this season.

Built by His Corner

No elite season happens alone, and Olivares is quick to credit the people who’ve helped him grow.

At the center is Coach Ron Robertson, his high school coach and the reason he fell in love with the sport.

“He’s the reason I stuck with wrestling my whole high school career,” Olivares says. “He pushed me to be a better version of myself on and off the mat.”

Robertson’s impact goes beyond practices—helping with strength, conditioning, film study, and even reaching out to college coaches on Enrique’s behalf.

“He does everything for me,” Olivares says simply.

Another major influence is Coach Justin Flores, his club coach. Olivares began training with Flores after Fargo, stepping into a club environment for the first time with nerves and uncertainty.

“He made me feel right at home on the first day,” Enrique says. “He told me I could get better if I trained there—and I believed him with all my heart.”

Training daily at JFlo Wrestling Club, Flores pushed him relentlessly, addressing weaknesses, answering questions, and raising expectations.

Add in the support of his family and girlfriend, and Olivares has built a circle that fuels his confidence and consistency.

“I wouldn’t be here without them,” he says.

Proving What’s Possible

This season isn’t just about wins—it’s about proving something deeper.

“I want to prove that even if you started in high school, you can still be better than kids who started when they were little,” Olivares says.

His formula is simple but powerful: faith, consistency, confidence, determination, and an unshakable belief in himself.

“You have to want it really bad,” he adds.

That hunger shows every time he steps on the mat.

The Example He Wants to Set

When younger wrestlers watch Enrique Olivares compete, he hopes they see more than technique or results.

“I hope they see someone who works hard, never gives up, and chases their dreams,” he says. “And someone who doesn’t listen to negative comments.”

Off the mat, Olivares is just as relatable—an avid gamer who loves food just as much as training. But when competition starts, he embodies the grit he believes defines Texas wrestling.

“Texas wrestling,” he says, “is about determination and hard work. We want to be better than other states.”

As the postseason approaches, Enrique Olivares isn’t chasing redemption—he’s chasing evolution.

And this time, he’s ready to finish what he started.