As of this point, my coaching has purely been as a technical instructor.  So, I guess the emphasis of my style will revolve around perfecting technique I‘ve acquired during my career.  However, I have been trained by some of the best coaches in the United States and the world. So, I also have the background in conditioning and training that is so important in our sport.

 

I would have to say that my philosophy is to be the kind of coach that really understands the uniqueness of his individual wrestlers. It would be too hard to develop a program that can address everyone’s needs within the practice. However, I feel that coaches can provide feedback for their wrestlers throughout the season on an individual basis so they can work on their own needs outside of normal practice time.

 

As far as coaching style, I guess that is yet to be determined.  I want to make sure that when I coach, I find ways to get the wrestlers to understand the importance of what is being learned each day. There are ways of communicating that can be effective, efficient, and inspiring.  Throughout the course of the season, the newness of a new head coach will wear off.  However, if I’m doing my job and being prepared, I hope to find ways to motivate the team to higher levels of effort and performance. I’m going to keep learning throughout my wrestling coaching career, just like my wrestlers will be learning. Together, we’ll all do great things.

Believe it or not, when I was in 7th grade and it was time for the winter sports season to begin, I wanted to play basketball.  But, my mom talked to me about how sometime soon, the basketball coaches would start making decisions that had a lot to do with my height, or lack of it. She mentioned that I had cousins that wrestled and that it might be a good sport for me to try. The only other sport that didn’t require height was gymnastics. I didn’t know anything about gymnastics, so I chose wrestling. As soon as I started the sport, I loved it. It was hard work! But, everyone else was working hard and still having fun. I’m grateful that my mom helped me make such an important decision. 

I think that the starting point of wrestling career goals is to win a state championship. I won my only state title my senior year, after my younger brother already won his first state championship. It was the only year that I ended without a loss, so it capped a perfect season.

 

At the University of Minnesota, I won a Big Ten Title and placed 3rd in the NCAA’s during my sophomore year at 134 lbs.  Those were significant steps in my development and made me believe that I belonged at that level of competition.   I kind of struggled with moving up a weight the next year and didn’t place at the NCAA’s. Then during the first week of wrestling practice, I found out that my younger brother was injured during a gymnastics meet and he would be a quadriplegic.  I guess it was seeing his inspiration at setting and achieving goals for himself that would allow him to live his life that motivated me to work harder than I ever thought I could. I think it was the best year of competition for me and I finished my senior year placing third again at the NCAA’s.

 

I thought that was pretty much the end of my wrestling career at that point. However, in 1982, the best Greco Roman wrestling club in the country practiced in our wrestling room every day.  The club made sure that I would at least consider giving Greco a try. So, after about 5 weeks of being their throwing dummy in practices, and teaching me technique after being tossed, I wrestled in the National Greco tournament and surprised myself by placing 2nd. During that tournament, I beat Tom Minkel, who was the 1980 Olympian. My performance in that tournament opened my eyes as to the possibility of making an Olympic team.

 

The next year, 1983, I won Nationals in Greco, won a Silver Medal in the Pan American Games and made my first World Team in Kiev, USSR.  Unfortunately, I drew the same guy who beat me for the gold in the Pan American games in the first round. I broke my thumb defending a gut wrench and had to withdraw from the tournament.

 

Winning a Bronze Medal at the Olympic Games would probably be the highest level of achievement that I could have ever imagined. The competitive challenges in the trials to make the team, and the injuries I sustained and endured in the Olympic training camp, only made the reward that much more enjoyable. Representing the United States in the Olympics was the most exciting and honorable experience of my life.

I think that the reason I love wrestling is that it really is up to me who determines what I want to put into it and what I want out of it.  I was born with a number of athletic gifts that included natural strength, quickness, flexibility and balance. These attributes are tremendously important to wrestling. But probably the most important benefit that I had was growing up with 5 brothers. Although I was the oldest, having that much competition from a young age to roll around with really helped my skill acquisition.  When I started wrestling competition, I couldn’t wait to go out and shoot a takedown or try to get a pin. Once I learned that I could be successful in this sport, I wanted to work harder to get even better. I was lucky enough to have two wonderful parents who encouraged and supported me through watching me compete. They were there for me when I won, but more importantly, they were there to support me when I lost.  I came to love wrestling because it helped reveal my character. I’ve heard that sports builds character. However, I have come to realize that we bring all the traits that we acquire during our childhood development and through life experiences, and sports reveals to us who we are.  I also love wrestling because it has been a way to show my best qualities and traits.

I’ve had a few people in my life that I held in high regard. Some have been coaches, or wrestlers, or people that have given me advice.  But, as I’ve matured, I’ve realize that my parents, my younger brother, and my family had the most positive influence on my life. At the time they were influencing me, I wasn’t all that grateful for their advice. They had rules for me that I didn’t always want to follow. But, they were fair. I don’t think anyone wants to be told what to do or what not to do. However, that is their role. To help me learn how to make the right decisions and prevent foolish mistakes.

 

My dad taught me how to be a gentleman. He always provided the best example of what it means to be respectful. He taught me about humility. And, he was always helping those who needed it. We didn’t have a lot of money when we were growing up. But, he would always find other ways to help out, even if he couldn’t help them financially. 

 

My mom taught me all about toughness and commitment. She was home raising 8 children when my dad was working. At the time, I had no idea how much was involved with taking care of kids, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, and then making sure we were all packed up and ready to go to baseball, football or wrestling matches.  She would never say I can’t do it, it’s too tough, or I quit. I’m sure she probably had her days when she felt she couldn’t do one more thing, but I never saw it. She never got any medals or rewards for all the work she did, but she did it anyway.

 

My brother Jason is my inspiration.  He was paralyzed in a gymnastics accident when he was 16 years old. That was my senior year of college. Even after he was told he would never walk again, he never gave up trying.  Not only did he learn to walk with a walker, but he graduated high school, got his college degree, got married and has two wonderful children. Anytime that I think I’m having a tough day, I think of him and what he has to do each day, and I can find the strength to endure.

 

The rest of my family has demonstrated in many ways how to endure life’s challenges. I would have to say we are a typical family. There are many times of great joy and deep sorrow. But the support and encouragement we give each other has enabled us to take on life and come away with some incredible victories.

I truly believe that Arizona has wrestling talent that hasn’t yet been developed to its fullest potential.  Because football, basketball and baseball are such huge sports out here, it is tough to get any media attention to help wrestling. In the Midwest, it’s the fan support that helps generate enthusiasm for wrestling. That enthusiasm inspires the athletes to commit more of themselves and compete better. I think that what Coach Charles has done so far at ASU with his assistant coach selections makes ASU a contender for championships. The wrestling community needs to support ASU by showing up and cheering them at their home meets.  The more we can do to demonstrate that we have the fans to support our programs, the sooner we will get the recognition we deserve and this will help inspire our future generation of wrestlers.

The bar has been set pretty high by Dave Vibber and the results from last year.  I think it would be premature to set any goals for the team yet without meeting with them to decide what it is they want to achieve. However, my goals would be to improve upon the strengths that already exist and work to eliminate as many weaknesses as I can. My goals would include being a creative coach who communicates effectively, makes training hard, yet efficient, and  takes best advantage of technologies to improve analysis and feedback to best help my team.  As I sit down to make my short-term, mid-range, and long-term goals with those items in mind, I think we can expect some pretty good results. 

I think that the first thing I would say to any kid in Arizona who has an Olympic dream is to look at Henry Cejudo.  His story is like it was made for a movie script. What he and his family endured is something most people will never have to face.  Then, he leaves his home and family to commit himself to his dream. I am so impressed with this young man!

 

For anyone who loves wrestling and wants to be the best he or she can be, I would say this - Every great achievement begins with a dream. Every champion has seen himself as one before it has happened. We all start somewhere on our journey, then it is just one step at a time. Listen to those with more wisdom and experience than you.  Understand that there is no great success without a great deal of hard work, commitment and belief in yourself. And, never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something!