St. Christopher's School Wrestling

     With the closing of the 2010-11 wrestling season I figure it is time enough for me to compose my first blog entry of the year. I want to apologize to the few readers of this blog, as I found myself busier than expected during the fall and winter months. At my real job, as the Health and PE Department Chair at Meadowbrook High School we had four new teachers imported to my department, two of whom are relative newcomers to education so I am serving in more of a mentoring capacity than ever before. It's been a lot of fun so far, but it does keep me on my toes.

     It's hard to believe that the high school wrestling season is already over. It seems as if it were only yesterday that newly hired Athletic Director/Head Wrestling Coach John Gordon began pre-season workouts with a handful of guys. And here we are months later, looking back on another very successful season for St. Christopher's wrestling.

     After last year's monumental successes on the mats and loss of a huge group of talented seniors, most Virginia private school wrestling coaches, writers, and fans thought that St. Christopher's almost decade long domination was going to end. "How can they win Prep League and States when they lost all of their studs? Even Jeske left!" is what I heard time and time again. It was like the beginning of a Bad News Bears movie about high school wrestling. So people thought.

     Enter John Gordon. All Coach Gordon did in his tenure at Wyoming Seminary was take a very young and inexperienced program and develop it into a national powerhouse! Look at Seminary's results over the past three years and you will see what Gordon built. That is why I was so excited to have him on board at St. Christopher's. His reputation alone awe-struck a lot of St. Christopher's people. And then I met the man and began to work with him. That's when the real truth about John Gordon came out.

     We know John is a fantastic wrestling coach, but he is also a fantastic teacher, motivator, and leader on and off the mat. I am sincerely grateful to have the opportunity to work with an incredible man. I definitely believe I improved as a coach and leader this year because of him. The way Coach Gordon works with the wrestlers is amazing. No yelling after matches, only constructive criticism, a pat on the back, and a "shot of water". Moreover, John Gordon believed in all of our guys- not just David Wesley, Trey Tarr, and Robert Janis. He helped the young kids: William Kelly, Matt MacLeod, Quent Alcorn, Marshall Hollerith, etc. believe in themselves and helped improve their wrestling throughout the season.

     Take Quent Alcorn and Marshall Hollerith. Before this season the tandem wrestled a handful of varsity matches, and now they were thrust into the spotlight with little experience. All they did was improve and get better each week of the season, slowly churning their "what if" and "maybe" thoughts into "I can" and "I will" actions. Quent ended up winning a State title and Marshall finished third at States. Not bad for guys who didn't start last year.

     Take Josh Setliff and David Austin. Again, no big experience on the varsity team. But each week they worked hard and began to believe in themselves. Josh was unseeded at States and ended up taking fourth. David went from not wrestling well in varsity matches, almost expecting to lose, to going after his opponents with great shots and tilts from the top.

     And what about Matt MacLeod, the precocious, undersized 112 lber who never missed a practice session? MacLeod was the team's Rocky Balboa, who kept getting knocked down, only to get up again and again never wavering or quitting. The kid went 3-2 at States and scored some big points for the Saints. Talk about a huge upside!

     We can't forget the leaders of the 2011 team: David Wesley, Trey Tarr, Robert Janis, Ben Thompson, Andy Pitts, and William Kelly. Each wrestler had big expectations, but never had additional pressure put on them by Coach Gordon or any of the assistants. They knew that they had responsibilities on the mat and in the practice room to work harder than their opponents (and teammates) and took their wrestling to another level. Coach Gordon didn't need to shout, scream, use negative reinforcement, etc. to motivate these kids. All he did was believe in them.

     It's amazing to see what kids can do when people believe in them. They achieve. They succeed. That's all any athlete or student needs to be successful in whatever they do- somebody who believes in them and who helps them reach their goals.

     Our wrestlers weren't burned out or hit their peak before States like in previous seasons. By the time States rolled around, this wrestling team was still getting better. The daily practice routine definitely helped, but a relaxed atmosphere in the wrestling room worked wonders. All of the guys had great attitudes and were in great shape this tournament season. They knew that John Gordon and his coaching staff were right there with them, believing what no other person in Virginia thought: VISAA State Championship number ten in a row. What a fitting way to end his first season at St. Christopher's. Thanks John, for keeping me around to help you through your first season in Virginia. It was an extreme pleasure getting to know and work with you.

     Now I know why Seminary developed into a powerhouse.

Where does the time go? It seems as if yesterday was February and we were all preparing for States and Nationals, and here it is- almost August and time to head back to school. I trust that everyone has enjoyed their time away from wrestling, but before you know it, we will begin the quest for our 10th striaght VISAA State title. A lot has happened over the past few months that will change the dynamics of St. Christopher's wrestling. And, some of our kids have done some pretty good things too.

I want to personally welcome our new Athletic Director and Head Wrestling Coach, Mr. John Gordon, to St. Christopher's. Coach Gordon comes to Richmond from Wyoming Seminary in Kingston, PA where he led Sem to a 2nd place finish at National Preps and a top ten ranking nationally. He brings an incredible amount of knowledge and passion for wrestling which will open a new chapter in St. Christopher's wrestling.  I am excited for the opportunity to work with Coach Gordon and our Saints wrestlers.

I want to thank our retiring Head Coach, Frank Kiefer, for brining me on board back in 2009 to work with the St. Christopher's wrestling proram. I knew when I was going to move to Richmond that the only team I wanted to work with was St. Christopher's. I have learned a lot of great things from Coach K and hope that he will continue helping the program in his own, funky way. Not only do I consider you a colleague Frank, but as a close friend whom I care deeply about. Thanks for everything you have done for me over the past two years. I hope I can be as good of a coach and person as you!

The summer has been busy for a few of our STC and 3Style wrestlers. Robert Janis and Marcus Beckwith made the long trip to Fargo, ND with me to compete in the annual USA Wrestling Cadet Nationals. David Wesley and Tyler Cornett were scheduled to join us, but other extenuating circumstances caused them to miss the tournament. A number of our other wrestlers, namely Josh Setliff, Ben Thompson, and Andy Pitts continued wrestling by attending camps at the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech. This will only help to improve their wrestling as they take the mats this winter.

Robert competed in Greco and posted a 1-2 record, but could have easily been 3-0 and still in the hunt for a place. He wrestled really well and is on the cusp of really breaking through at the National level! Robert worked hard all spring and summer on positioning and Greco technique and will only continue to improve. He even scored his first ever "five" in his first match!

Marucs Beckwith, a 3Style member who wrestles during the year for Meadowbrook HS (where I teach) had an outstanding freestyle tournament and with some good luck on the second day, ended up finishing in 6th place to earn All-American status in Fargo!

As if this was not special enough, I found out as we met in Charlottesville to travel to Fargo that his father had passed away a week earlier, making his success bittersweet. I know his father was looking down on him while he was wrestling and smiling knowing his son became an All-American. Marcus' mother was able to watch a few of his matches on line and got to see him march across Mat One to receive his All-American plaque. Former St. Christopher's wrestler Brandon Jeske also had an outstanding week in Fargo, placing second in Greco and winning the 130 lb. freestyle championship. He will be wrestling at Frank Cox HS in the fall.

I hope that everybody associated with St. Christopher's wrestling is ready to continue the journey to the top this season. There are a lot of high expectations but I think we are ready for the challenge. I for one, can't wait to get back into the room with the team and get things moving for number ten! See you soon!

I grew up in central Pennsylvania, where snow in the winter months was inevitable. It was just something we dealt with; I don't recall missing more than a day from school because of the weather each year. But once I moved south of the Mason-Dixon Line, if the threat of snow is in the forecast, you can bet that we won't have school. I remember a day in January, 2000 when I was teaching at Mount Calvary Catholic School and it began to snow and rain just about the same time school started. The school kept us in class until about 11 am and decided to send us home because the roads were getting icy. No big deal. But about an hour after school let out early, the snow stopped, the sun came out, and the temperature rose to almost 50 degrees! I wasn't complaining, because who in their right mind would argue about a free afternoon, but it was just so comical to watch the school scramble to figure out what to do about the weather.

We made a good decision by not driving down to Virginia Beach for the Ocean Lakes Tournament this weekend. For starters, we got a ton of snow that would make it extremely difficult to get back to Richmond. Plus, most of the teams in the tournament dropped out because of the forecast. It gives us a week to prepare for our post-season run for eight straight  VA Prep League and nine consecutive VISAA State titles.

Now once the snow fell, I watched from the window of my apartment to see how long it took the Department of Transportation to plow (or at least treat) the roads during the storm...nothing until after the snow stopped. In Pennsylvania, the plows are out scraping the snow as it falls, to help keep the roads drivable. Not the case in Virginia; we wait until after all of the snow has piled up on the roads, then try to fix the damage. Meaning, my car was plowed in on the street. See, living in downtown Richmond does not afford me a parking space somewhere safe. No, I have to park on a street that has two hour parking. Not only do I have to move my car every few hours so I don't get ticketed, but I have to dig it out of the snow that is pushed off the road. Good thing my landlord keeps a shovel handy in the lobby.

I don't understand why it was nearly impossible to find a brush and scraper for my car in all of Richmond. Apparently I left my brush and scraper on the bus we took to Delaware for the Beast of the East. Each store I went to told me the same thing, "it's a seasonal item".  DUH! The last time I checked, January was part of the winter season! It was funny to watch my fellow Richmond-ers dig their cars out of the snowbanks using plastic boxes, milk jugs, and other assorted items and scrape their windshields off with CD cases! I didn't know MacGuyver lived in Richmond. Where are the duct tape and gum wrappers?

That brings me to driving in the snow. I used to getting tailed closely by cars while driving in Richmond- when the weather is good. But this morning, I nearly got rear ended by a joker who was following me too close on a slippery Broad Street. Of course this joker was driving with one hand while talking on his phone. Many people in Virginia think that they can drive the same, normal speed they do during good weather in the snow. They don't realize that when freezing or solid water hits the ground, it makes driving difficult! Four-wheel drive does you NO good on ice either! When will these people realize that you can't drive like a maniac on snowy roads? I don't worry about my driving when it snows; I learned how to drive in the snow by not over steering, not jamming on the gas or the brake pedals, and giving those around me enough space so if they lose it, I don't whack them from behind.

Hopefully we won't have to deal with any more snowy weather through the rest of the season. The last thing I want to do is drive to Nationals in a blizzard with a bunch of kids in the back of the bus. See you at Prep League!

Now that two out of our three regular season home events are done, I can relax a little bit and focus on coaching again. Coach Kiefer asked me to run last weekend's Red Storm Duals, while trying to do a live web cast of all of our matches. Fortunately St. Christopher's Athletic Director, Paul Padalino, helped me out and ran the head table so I could focus on the web cast. It was interesting to watch the team wrestle from a different side of the mat. When you are on the team bench, you don't always get the whole perspective of what is going on. From my little table across the mat, I could see much more going on than when I sit in the corner. I noticed a few things throughout the Red Storm Duals.

We looked rather sluggish in the first round against South County. SC was a very scrappy team and we looked fairly lethargic at times. Perhaps because it was the first match of the day or we took the Stallions lightly, we made them look better than they were. I'm not sure if we got a great warm up before the first match, but fortunately St. Chris came out on top. And that trend continued through the day. We looked better and better the deeper the tournament went.

The other coaches watched the B Pool teams to see who we were going to wrestle in our final match. The B Pool featured Liberty Christian, Cape Henry, and Conestoga, PA. Cape Henry had a ton of kids out of the line up due to an outbreak of ringworm and really wasn't a factor. Conestoga dominated the B Pool, which worried our coaches. Figuring the team was in for a tough match, the coaches pulled the wrestlers up to the wrestling room for a thorough warm up before the Conestoga match. It paid off; the Conestoga match was the most aggressive and intense the team has wrestled collectively all season. All fourteen wrestlers poured their heart and souls into the match against the Pioneers and kicked the snot out of them to take home the Red Storm Duals title. Conestoga was never able to get things going after they won the first match of the dual; our intensity and focus began a whirlwind of action from takedown to nearfall to pin. It was a great match to watch as a spectator.

I hope this trend continues tonight when we travel across town to take on Prep League rival Collegiate. There is something special about wrestling rivals; you always want to get a leg up on your rivals. We need to go out and show Collegiate why we're the best wrestling team- public or private in Richmond. The action kicks off at 7 PM tonight. I hope to see you there. I will be back on the bench where I feel most comfortable.

It's hard to believe that the 2009-10 wrestling season is almost one-third over! Once the inital weeks of practice are over and the competitions begin, time really begins to fly! It seems as it were only yesterday that the team met for the first day of practice, and here we are at the dawn of 2010. The expectations for the 2009-10 St. Christopher's wrestling team are high: a ninth consecutive VISAA State Championship, a top three place at the St. Alban's Tournament, and  a top ten (or better) finish at Nationals. A lot of great stuff happened in the first month, but more to come over the next two months.

The schedule is one of the toughest I have seen as a high school wrestling coach. There are very few "easy" weekends throughout the season; the wrestlers and the team will be battle tested week in and week out, preparing for the ultimate goals at the end of the season. But this is also one of the most talented wrestling teams I have ever been associated with. Not only do we have four National Prep All-Americans and two State champions returning, but the rest of the team has improved too. We have also welcomed two newcomers to the team: freshman Brandon Jeske and sophomore Tyler Cornett. Jeske's pedigre is outstanding; in 2009 alone he won the FILA Cadet Nationals and placed third at the USA Wrestling Cadet Nationals- both in Greco Roman. Cornett comes to St. Christopher's via Massaponax HS, ironically the same school where I spent seven successful season as head coach. He was a VHSL Northwest Region qualifier in 2009 and fits in beautifully to the starting line up.

And thus far, the Saints have responded well to the rigors of this season's schedule. We started the season at Hopewell with their annual tournament. What began as a good opening date turned into a barn-burner of a tournament. Wyoming Seminary, one of the top five programs in the nation, Frank Cox and Christiansburg, both number one ranked teams in Virginia in AAA and AA respectively, and Westfield, the 2009 VHSL Northern Region champions all met up with the Saints at Hopewell. We wrestled well, Jeske and junior David Wesley both placed second and the team finished in 5th place- the highest amongst metro Richmond teams. Five seniors: Rennie Merhige, Loren Phillips, Ted Gottwald, Edward Custer, and Chris Gill all placed in the top six of their weights, as did junior Trey Tarr.

The following week was one of the longest of my life; I was in charge of running the show for our home opener- the St. Christopher's Invitational. Between the constant line up changes, technical gliches, and other assorted things, the tournament ran well...actually very well! We finished the day twenty minutes after the championship round was scheduled to begin. Not bad at all! And the team wrestled well too, bringing home the team trophy. We had eleven kids in the finals and placed just about everyone. I was definitely glad to have the tournament run well, but then again, it could have been much worse.

Then it was off to the Beast of the East in Delaware with part of the team. We had to race the impending weather to make it up to the tournament the night before. This was my first trip to the "Beast" and it definitely lived up to my expectations. Once again, the kids wrestled really well; Jeske made it to the finals and almost one the thing as a freshman! He beat the number 8, 1, and 4 seeds along the way. You can see the videos on the STC Video page. Phillips and Gill missed placing by one round; Loren lost to kids who placed fifth and sixth. What a tournament!! Talk about intensity!

Now we have a few days off to celebrate the holidays before heading back out on the road, this time to James Wood HS in Winchester, VA for their holiday tournament. Hopefully the weather will behave this time around. But if it doesn't, we know that the St. Christopher's mini-busses are like tanks and will make it through the weather. Enjoy the holidays and see you soon on the mats!

It's almost time for the first St. Christopher's wrestler to step foot on the mat for the opening of the 2009-10 season. Many are anticipating what could be one of the most talented Saints wrestling teams in a number of years. Pre-season practices have been action packed so far; all of the kids old and new are working much harder at this point than compared to last year. The air in the wrestling room is thick with intensity; these boys are on a mission for the 2009-10 season. They want to prove that St. Christopher's can compete toe to toe with the heavyweights of high school wrestling. They also want to improve upon last year's finishes. Some have unfinished buisness, while others are just getting started. Either way you look at it, the season is going to be good.

The Saints don't have an easy first tournament to get their feet wet on the season. They will take on Wyoming Seminary (one of the top five teams in the US), two of the top teams in Virginia: AAA Frank Cox and AA Christiansburg at the Hopwell Classic on December 4th and 5th. Add in AAA Northern Region power Westfield and all of the top local wrestlers and you have a top notch opening date. There will be plenty of exciting action at Hopewell, a tournament that the Saints placed second at last year. Whichever Virginia team places highest will earn bragging rights as the state's best team this season. St. Christopher's hopes to be right in the thick of that action.

It doesn't get much easier on December 12th with the St. Christopher's Invitational at Scott Gymnasium. Central Region power Hanover comes to town with top AA Region III Brookville and Franklin County, one of Virginia's top AAA teams year after year to slug it out with the Saints. This tournament is being billed as "The Toughest Small Tournament in Virginia". Come out on December 12th and you will see why.

If you can't make it to the Saints's Invitational, we're going to try and webcast the championship finals. In my infinite nerd-dom, I found a webcasting site and will give broadcasting over the internet a shot. Who knows, maybe it will go well and develop into something really cool. We'll have to wait and see. I will post the link, times, and all the good information once we get closer to the date. One of my goals for the season is to get our faces out there and be seen.

And definitely check out the team store! The link is at the top of every page. You can purchase all kinds of cool St. Christopher's Wrestling gear and show your support. As always, I hope the season is enjoyable and exciting for everyone. I'll see you on the mats!

The wrestling season is right around the corner- are you ready for the madness? Many members of the wrestling team have spent their off seasons training and preparing for what could possibly be one of the most successful years in St. Christopher's wrestling. The talent coming back to the team for the 2009-10 season is amazing. Four National Prep All-Americans. Two VISAA State champions. Seven VISAA State placers. And add in two outstanding new wrestlers and you can see just how much potential this team has! The goals for the season include State title number nine in a row, and a top ten finish at Nationals.

Ted Gottwald, a two-time VISAA State champ and 2009 National Prep All-American leads the team, along with All-American Loren Phillips, 2009 VISAA State champ Mark Burlee, and two-time VISAA State placer Rennie Merhige as captains. Their outstanding leadership will improve things just a little bit more inside and out of the wrestling room.

These kids are hungry for success. They see what they did last year and realize that everybody has to step up and work just a bit harder to realize their goals. The talent in the room is amazing, just with the senior captains, but add in guys like David Wesley, who finished 5th at National Preps in '09, Robert Janis, and Trey Tarr, and even the underclass is ready to roll.

The 2009-10 season will also feature the debut of freshman sensation Brandon Jeske, who recently finished 2nd at the Super 32 tournament in North Carolina- probably the toughest pre-season tournament in the nation. He beat a bunch of really good kids on the way to the finals. Jeske comes to St. Christopher's as one of the top five middle school wrestlers in the US. He won the FILA Cadet Nationals in Greco and took 3rd at the Cadet Nationals in Fargo this summer. Jeske is ready to set the wrestling world on its heels this year. The Saints also have a quality transfer in sophomore Tyler Cornett, who comes to St. Christopher's from Massaponax HS in Fredericksburg where he was a AAA Northwest Region qualifier as a freshman. Cornett is a very hard working and determined wrestler. His enthusiasm and passion for success will definitely be contagious!

This is going to be a fun season; you have to be part of the action! You do not want to miss out on following this team. What separates them from other great high school teams is how down to earth and humble they are. These kids know that they are good, but understand that they have to take things to the next level and are willing to put in the time and effort to be successful. St. Christopher's begins the season at the Hopewell Classic on December 4th and 5th. This is going to be a very tough opener for the Saints. Wyoming Seminary, AA State champion Christiansburg, rising AAA power Frank Cox, and AAA Northern Region champions Westfield will be there, along with a host of top individual wrestlers. Be sure to follow St. Christopher's wrestling on our website: http://stchriswrestling.com and we will see you on the mats in 2009-10!

I must take time out from talking about the world of wrestling according to me to talk about the bigger things out there: life, honor, and family.

I found out this week just how fragile life can be. On Tuesday, we learned that one of our 3Style wrestlers passed away at age 17- way too young! And Wednesday night, I received one of those phone calls no teacher wants to get with the US at war with Iraq and with the Taliban in Afghanistan: one of my former students from Massaponax was killed in action in Iraq. It's amazing how cruel life can be sometimes, with the loss of two outstanding young men.

I didn't know Stuart Slusher that well, other than the fact that he was a wrestler from Freeman HS. He was on our roster at 3Style and attended some practices. You hate to hear about any 17 year old losing their life, but when it is one of your wrestling family members, it hurts alittle more. I wish I could have been there to talk to Stuart and help him through his anger and pain. Nothing as a teenager should be so bad where you take your own life. All it leaves is questions that none of us can answer. What remains is guilt and dispair.

I am reminded of my freshman year in high school, twenty-two years ago,almost to the day. It was a Sunday night when I got the call. The captain of my wrestling team was dead, victim of a self inflicted gunshot. I was floored; it wasn't more than a week before when I last saw my captain, seemingly happy as always. What could have changed inless than two weeks? I'll never know. Not a day goes by when I don't think about him; I know that he is watching over me as a guardian angel.

That's all we can hope for. The pain is gone, but the scars will remain forever.

Ryan McGhee wasn't a wrestler, rather he excelled at football. He had a bum shoulder that popped out a lot. He played through pain without complaint. I remember one game where the only thing holding his arm in place from a dislocated shoulder was his shoulder pads. He never once complained about the pain; he just wanted to get better so he could get back into the game. He was a very good student, never taking the easy way out. Ryan knew the value of hard work and put plenty of time and effort into his studies. He could have gone to college right out of high school, but he decided to wait.

Ryan had a burning desire to serve his country in the military; one of his dreams was to be an Army Ranger. He did just that, serving four tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. A natural leader, Ryan had recently been promoted to squad leader. And then in the blink of an eye, he's gone. During a fire fight in Iraq, he took a direct hit to the chest and died at age 21. Another victim of the seemingly senseless violence in a country far away from home. Ryan wasn't selfish; the many commendations he earned in his short military career meant little. They were nice pins for his dress uniform, but the honor of serving his country in the pursuit of freedom meant so much more to Ryan McGhee.

He was engaged to his high school sweetheart; they were going to marry next year. They were the cutest, happiest couple. Even though Ryan was out of the area much of the time while on active duty, he made sure to spend as much time as he could with his fiance. Despite the distance and the time apart, they made their relationship work. Ryan and Ashleigh truly personified the expression, "absence makes the heart grow fonder".

We should try not to grieve his loss, rather celebrate his life. I know that this will be difficult, because another young life was senselessly lost in a conflict far away from home that many of us do not believe our country should be involved in. There will be anger, tears, and more questions as we mourn the loss of Ryan, but I have to believe he would not want us to be sad. Ryan would want us to celebrate the triumphs of his life and remember him for the awesome guy he was. Yes, Ryan McGhee was a military hero, but he was a hero in his short life. Ryan was a hero in life for the great person he was. I feel horrible for his family and what they will have endure over the next few months and I pray that they are able to recover from this devastating loss.

No parent wants to bury their child. I ask that you pray for the Slusher and McGhee families and those directly affected by their losses. Let's hope they are able to recover and continue with their lives. Parents, embrace your children and hold them close to you for an extra moment or two. Let them know how much you love and care about them. Children, know that your parents love you and what they say and do reflects their love for you. They only wish the best for you. Don't ever doubt the love of a parent; no matter the circumstance never doubt unconditional love. Realize that our time on earth can be fleeting and make the most out of our lives.This is one of those moments where we must all realize that in the grand scheme of things, what we do in our lives can sometimes affect a community. We need to all come together to help those in their time of need.

God bless you all.

Talk about a busy weekend! Friday night and all day Saturday at the VAWA Kids and Cadet States at Hopewell, and then Flo Wrestling at St. Chris on Sunday. Good thing next weekend is a "wrestling free" weekend for me. I need to recover from the overload. It's all good, of course.

Our 3Style kids did very well at States. Robert Janis definitely has potential in Greco; I think next year when he is a first year Cadet he will turn some heads! And Trey Tarr looked good too. He got to wrestle two of Virginia's best middleweights: Cody Allala and Jason Luster. Not bad at all. Congrats to Austin Coburn- 3Style's Cadet 171 State Champ. Despite giving up some weight (and definitely height), Austin was able to win his weight class and qualify for Nationals.

The St. Chris kids were really hyped up for Sunday morning's visit from Flo Wrestling- A NATIONAL wrestling web site that covers all ages of wrestling. This is going to be a great way to get our guys and program the type of exposure we need to help take things to the next level. Teddy, Tyler, Rennie, and Loren all did very well in their interviews. I think we did a great job of showing the true mission of what we do at St. Chris- eductating the WHOLE boy.

It became really apparent this weekend, what my true mission in coaching wrestling is all about. Not only do I want to develop National caliber wrestlers, but I want those National caliber wrestlers to understand that there must be priorities in life to be really successful. Some coaches put all of their emphasis on the wrestling only and more or less say, "Screw academics", but fail to realize that without sound academics, their athletes WON'T be able to take their wrestling to the next level. College coaches are not going to be willing to take kids into their programs who are marginal students. With Title IX, and the lack of financial opportunity in college wrestling, college coaches are not willing to give up scholarship money on somebody who may, or may not make it academically in college. We need to look at the bigger picture; wrestlers need to ask themselves where are they going to be in ten years, twenty years, etc. and figure out what are the most important things for them in life. It is important for a wrestler to use wrestling as the mechanism to get the best education possible at both the high school and college level. Success at the higher levels at wrestling is an additional bonus.

What is that national caliber kid learning from a coach who places all of their emphasis on wrestling and nothing else?  Believe it or not, coaches are role models for their athletes. A high school coach's mission should be twofold: 1. Produce the most competetive athletes and teams possible, and 2. Prepare the student-athlete for life, which includes school! We can not get blinded by the idea of success and not see the bigger picture out there. The most elite wrestlers spend such a short, fragile part of their entire life at the top of the mountain; what is there after the glory fades? If that wrestler is not prepared to face the world in the best way possible, they will try and cling to that peak and hold on for all of their worth for as long as possible. Without having any real plans or ideas of what to do after wrestling, the chances at being able to provide for your family  grow dim.

Don' t get me wrong- I want to win and produce as many top athletes as possible, but there is so much more to who I am as a person than just wrestling. I have a great job as a high school teacher, which I love. I am able to put two of my favorite things to do together and make a decent living at it. But there is so much more to who I am. I'm Rob- the son, the brother, the soon to be fiance, and so much more. I like to spend my time away from the mats with those who see me as more than just "Coach Prebes". And I firmly believe that I have my education to thank for this wholeness to my life. I'm crazy about wrestling, but I am also crazy about learning about history. And Science. And things that go boom.

The morale here is to keep your eyes on more than just the prize. Take a view from above and see how much more you can accomplish by getting a great education. St. Christopher's will prepare you for the next level athletically and academically. I think that's a pretty good combo, don't you?

We're doing the right thing at St. Chris. I firmly believe that we can be very successful and wrestle on a high level, without compromising our academics.  That's just me.

I am not looking forward to the almost four hour drive I have ahead of me this afternoon. I was asked to do a freestyle and Greco clinic at Mercersburg Academy by their head coach, who is a friend of mine and a colleague from when I coached at Massaponax. He was the head coach at Mountian View, one of our rivals in the Commonwealth District. It's going to be a fun clinic, but the ride through the heart of metro Washington, DC area during rush hour is not going to be part of the fun.

How about the four St. Chris wrestlers who were named to the All-Metro first team? Way to go Tyler, David, Ted, and Jackson! And looking at the rest of the first team, two other 3Style members were named to the All-Metro team. Additionally, four other members of 3Style were listed on the 2nd Team All-Metro, two being St. Chris wrestlers Trey Tarr and Mark Burlee. Not bad at all for our little club.

Even coaches can get frustrated at practice, as Tuesday's workout (4/15) proved. My technique dummy was not very cooperative with me and actually ended up throwing a forearm that hit me square in the face and nose. Some of the wrestlers told me afterwards that I looked really mad; it was the maddest they have ever seen me in the wrestling room. I laughed it all off and got my payback on my dummy! My nose is okay; I don't think after two or three fractures throughout my wrestling career one more blow to my nose will do any harm. Maybe it will look better, who knows.

3Style practices are looking really good. I am happy with the turnout so far and hope to see our kids do well at some of the local and regional tournaments this spring and summer. Remember, there are two goals for 3Style: 1. to improve on your own personal wrestling skills, and 2. to qualify to compete for Team Virginia at some of the National level events this summer. The Kids and Cadet Division States are in a few weeks at Hopewell HS, so I hope to see plenty of our 3Style kids there. And in June, the Junior States will take place at Henrico HS. Plenty of opportunities ahead for our wrestlers.

Hope everybody has a great weekend of wrestling at Manchester or at the NOVA I tournament at Chantilly HS. Be ready to roll on Tuesday!