Clay Guida looked around the school bus that carried him and the Montini Catholic wrestling team down Interstate 57, unable to ignore the focus on the faces around him.

During his four-year high school career at Johnsburg, Guida never made the trip downstate. So as the 31-year-old UFC fighter and part-time assistant coach headed for the IHSA individual state championships last week, he couldn’t help but immerse himself in a level of excitement he’s accustomed to bringing to the Octagon.

Guida is in his third year coaching at Montini. The volunteer position allows him not only to work with championship-level wrestlers, but also to explore a profession that could be an option once his fighting career ends.