WOW

All I can say is amazing. Amazing, that I have had the privilege to become involved with so many great families, and have been able to share n so many memories. To my boys, Thanks, I have enjoyed coaching you, but have loved knowing you. The last few days, I have been travelling across this great country of ours, and have seen the beauty in it, from the Grand Canyon, to the Rocky Mtns, and even here in the state of Kansas, it has been both inspiring, and humbling. However no matter where I go, I know that I am who I am because of those at SHHS, both as wrestlers, and as friends. Until next time...............

Land of Hope and Dreams

is one of my favorite Springsteen songs. It just gives you hope that everything will be okay, and that everyone has a chance. Yesterday I confirmed to a small group of wrestlers that I have been in negotiations with school district 300, and have accepted their offer to teach and coach at their high school in Illinois. It was a decision that has been on the back burner for a few years, and while no time is ever the easiest time to leave, I felt that this year may be the best opportunity for my family since my boys are getting older and the relocation process is a little harder for them. I want to thank all the parents for the support and criticism they have given me over the last 6 years. You are an amazing example of what support should be. I will miss the many friendships that I have developed with you over the years, but will remain in contact. I would like to thank all my wrestlers past and present for the opportunity to share something very special with you. No, not just wrestling but watching you grow into young men and even a few of you young women that I am proud to say I have and do know. Thanks to Strag and Froh for being two of the best friends a guy could want. I have been proud to be a husky, in fact that is what brought me back to begin with, and I will continue to be proud of all that we accomplished while I was there. Trust me the words have not come easily, the decision was not so cut and dried, but I have to think about my family as well, they are the reason I have been able to be so successful as a coach. While the boys love being in the room with guys like ty and varg and Mitch, and have been blessed to know guys like Strag, and Flo and T Dub, my wife has never missed a dual, and is my biggest fan, I cannot thank her enough for her sacrifices. A little known fact is her basketball team at La Puente won CIF and went to state before ANY of my teams did. So until we meet again, I wish you all the success in the world, and remember "if nothing changes, nothing changes;"

Taylor

Teddy Roosevelt said,

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."
"Citizenship in a Republic,"Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910

And I do this year in and year out because I too have failed, many times, but the lessons learned and the pride in knowing that i TRIED was well worth it. Maybe not at that particular moment, but I realized later that I was given a gift in defeat. A gift of persistence and determination to never have that happen to me again, not to never try again. I have had hundreds of kids cry on my shoulder, and I sometimes on theirs, when the season came to an end. But I know that in my heart, they are the lucky ones, not the victors. For the victors are quickly rushed away by the screaming crowd, while they are left alone with their thoughts, and in those thoughts are the plans of once again rising to the top to try yet again. I am extremely proud and honored to have coached many young men ion my life. I am extremely proud and honored to be a Husky. I will rise again and set my sites on the prize,but do so with new found knowledge, and determination. One day we will stand at the Rabobank arena, our team, and hold that trophy high, and all those who have gone before us will be there too in spirit because family never forgets. Mitch, Kyle, Greg, Ty, Mike I t has been an extreme pleasure to watch you grow up many from when you were small boys, in to fine young men. Not all our goals may have been reached , but that didn't and won't stop us from reaching again. I love you , and wish you all the best in whatever you choose, and whatever you choose I know you will represent SHHS , and the wrestling program very well.
As for you under class men get to the club on Wednesday, start failing, so when the time comes e to will taste victory.


Taylor

Springsteen

said it best when he said, "Still at the end of every hard earned day, people find some reason to believe." That's just what 3 Huskies did on Saturday night. Danie Flores, Mike Ramos and Ty Olson are the next representatives to state for the South Hills Huskies. Master's is a tough meet where anything can happen and usually does. Every year very deserving kids just can't fight their way out of the "meat grinder" and end up not going to state. This year the team took it in stride several underclassmen feel short of their goal, and a few seniors wrestled the very last time as a husky. It's so hard, elation on minute and sheer exhaustion and sadness the next. I have hugged and cried with too many kids to count, but the feeling that as a coach I let them down in their quest always haunts me. But, it is the times when Mike Ramos runs into my arms after beating a kid he had lost twice to, to qualify for state, when I see him as that little 10 year old kid in my wrestling room at Workman that make it all worthwhile. Or perhaps it is the ton of weight I saw lifted off of Ty's shoulders now tat the dream is a reality that keeps me going. However, it is also watching Mitch Chatfield get so close, but so far. In that moment when you know just how good he has become, but cant help but fell the pangs of loss that make you question why you do this year after year. The answer is simple my reasons to believe are the 9 returners form this years team and the 20 or so others who are ready to take the mantle and continue on with the rich tradition of South Hills Wrestling. I am inspired by my kids, they make me want to be a better coach, not for myself but in order to take them to the promised land, so they too can taste success. Many thanks to those of you who have read this this year, I know I have not always been up to date, but I have been honest, there are times when I wanted to retire, times when I didn't want it to end, I realize it's not always the mountain, but the climb that is the reward, and I still look at a room full of fresh faces and find some reason to believe.

Duals Individuals and MAsters

OK, again I am a little behind.  Yes we won the duals, very convincingly for a rebuilding year.  Then at CIF Individuals we placed second to Temecula Valley, however we will return all but 3 placers next year.  Now I ready to turn in to get ready for Masters in the morning, and I can think of only a couple things.  Tomorrow is tough, but Saturday is tougher.  Watching kids go home never gets easy.  I look forward to next year and the kids we have coming in, and returning.  But, the task tomorrow is to get to state, and that is the focus until Sunday.   TO all the parents who helped, although I think only one reads this, THANK YOU .   Your service to the program is invaluable, and only make my job easier.  Hopefully my next post will have great news about kids going to state.

The Road to State

Okay, so I am not exactly keeping up on this. Between practice, seeding meetings, Josh's baseball practice ( yes I coach that too) our wrestling club, and grading time has a way of slipping away. So here we are undefeated in league, and looking back at league finals there is a mixture of excitement and some sadness. Excitement that we had 12 in the finals during a year in which everyone thought we were going to fall on our face,and sadness watching kids I have had the pleasure to coach and watch grow up start on the road to their last match as a husky. It was awesome to see the young kids like Vincent Herrera and Jeremy Osborn win their first league title, and satisfying to see Daniel Flores, Thomas Morales defend last years crowns, and set their sights on besting their brothers. Tough to watch the two freshman who have weathered all the storms and challenges to stay on the top line all year lose in two very close matches. But, I didn't know how to feel watching Mitchell Chatfield break the grip of his brother's shadow in becoming the next league champion in that family. Or watching Mike Ramos go from a little kid who told me in a wrestling room a long time ago he would wrestle for me, how about watching Ty (yes that's his name) Olson grow from a 130 pounder to a state ranked 215, knowing how hard he has worked and how much he deserves it. Maybe a little heartbreak as Joe Talarico lost in a referee's bad decision, or Jeff Vargas coming back after a broken ankle to place second. I did feel a little envy as Greg Vargas took his older brothers advice and kept wrestling becoming a two time league champion and MVP of the league. I thought Kent, what if?" Now I have the dual meet stuff in front of me and will begin to prepare for those that we may see, and have already done the scouting for CIF individuals. We have a lot of youngsters that need to begin to come into the club and wrestle on Monday and Wednesday, the cost will be low $15 a month, but it will be invaluable. Thanks to everyone who has helped make this year a success so far,but we have a long way to go. Only a handful know how difficult this year has been , both emotionally and physically. I would like to thank ( and I will at the banquet) Scott Stragier who over 20 years ago kicked me in the butt, and continues to be my coach and my best friend. I will miss the rides, the hotels, but mostly the remember when stories. This is not one of those moments that I want to remember. We have a great shot at another title so come on out to Alta Loma and cheer us on this Saturday.

Temecula Day 1

Okay before I go to bed, everyone has checked their weight, and looks good.   Okay, man this tourney is tough.  CLOVIS , TV,BAKERSFIELD, CLOVIS WEST, a lot of teams from our CIF and Duals.  After day 1 the huskies have 9 still in competition.  Daniel Flores, Vincent Herrera, Jonathon Perez, Joe Talarico and Dakota Behr are all still alive in the consolation round, and will need to win the next 2 to place.   Mike Ramos, Ty Olson and Greg Vargas are in the Championship  1/4 finals and need to win just one to place.  The team overall is 2 points out of 3rd.  Not bad for a rebuilding team.   This has been kinda fun providing updates , sorry they are so late .    

Temecula Day 1

We're here

At least at the hotel.  Everyone has weighed in and will get ready for the 6:30 run then 8:00 weigh in for the Temecula Valley Tournament.  Tonight was a great night for SHHS Wrestling.  The Junior Varsity handed Nogales a 7803 drubbing and then Varsity beat Nogales 81-0.  There's always a chance for a letdown, but we really have started to turn a corner.  For live webcast information of the TV tournament, check thecaliforniawrestler.com.  Another varsity team will go to Arroyo Tournament.   Next week the team travels to Walnut, and with that maybe the last time as a San Antonio league member.  The time has come for the schools to look at re-league which may be  better since our league now only sends the top 2, and sometimes we have 3 tough kids and someone gets left home.    Senior night came and went so fast, before we know it we will be saying goodbye to guys like Dylan Crawford.  Lets try to make Walnut a bit brighter this Thursday by again issuing a "WHITE OUT".  I will try to get an update out tomorrow night after the first day of wrestling.  Don't forget  Takedown club meeting Tuesday  January 27th.

Thoughts and Ramblings

Okay so I have fallen a little behind, but I hope to catch up in one shot. The Arizona trip was a huge success, and if thy do not change the date next year we will be there. Three kids made the all tournament team, with two more very deserving of it. The team finished in 4th losing to Thunderbird HS both times. While we were there, the rest fo the Varsity ( I hate to call hem B Team) went to the Brea Olinda Tournament,and had a few placers. After that the Varsity went to the Blackwatch TOurnament at Upland. The team set a school record for most points in a tourney, and had 6 finalists, and 5 Champions. Three days later the JV and Frosh team went to Chino Hills and the JV won the tournament and had 9 in the finals, and the freshman wrestling without a full team took 5th. School Started back up and the team has been focusing on league, and the Top line guys got a well deserved weekend of of competition, and the rest of the squad went to Nogales, where 10 wrestlers mad it back to the second day. Again 2 wrestlers found their way to the podium. Not bad for a team that is "rebuilding". This week we start the defense of our league title. We travel to West Covina, and hope to have a huge following , with everyone wearing white. We want to bring our own "White Out" into their gym. After that the takedown club will be having a social, on Saturday Night see Arnie Behr for details. In just a few short weeks we will be talking about CIF, the season is really flying by. Okay I think I have us all caught up. Now I need to get back to burning Scout DVD's for this week.