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.

By now most of you have heard the tragic news that Sal Castillo's family was involved in the fire and shootings on Christmas eve. Sal and his two sisters were not harmed by the gunman, however their family suffered tragic losses of both grandparents and Sal's mother Sylvia, along with several Aunt's and Uncle's. The coaches have been in contact with Sal, and are working on a plan to help assist the family. Our hearts go out to Sal and his sisters, and since we are family, we will take care of them. Let's please allow the family some privacy regarding this matter, and just offer up gentle support and loving arms. More information about assistance will be availible at a later date.

WOW and more WOW

What a crazy weekend! First off the duals at San Dimas, more on those later. Then a dual tourney at South Hills Way to go boys first place and everyone got to wrestle. Friday we went to El Dorado and wrestled all day and returned to the school at midnight, just to leave the next morning @ 7:30 to go back. We beat last years record of 5 placers and had 6 this year with 2 finalists. In fact it's the first time since the 215 pound weight class was added that SH had both the 215 and heavyweight in the finals at a tourney other than league finals . Great Job to the girls as well out at 1000 oaks, a champion adn some thirds! Then early Sunday morning I was cutting mats in the wrestling room, and now tryign to update stats and review film and get ready for the Sultana dual. It must be wrestling season!!!
Now for the San Dimas dual. I was really impressed all the way around we not only had fans, but we had alumni and alumni families there. I was very impressed with Coach Josh Stragier's squad, (although I knew he could do it) and need to clarify things. The rule book says that the end of match procedure is that the competing wrestlers must shake hands before the winner's hand is raised. It has been a tradition ( one that is not honored in collegiate wrestling) that wrestlers shake the opposing coaches hand. Here is my stand point. If the Dual meet starts with a line up and meeting in the center of the mat, the wrestlers shake hands. Before they wrestle they shake hands, after they wrestle they shake hands. they shake hands with the coach after a match. they shake hands again as a team with ALL the opposing wrestlers and the opposing coaches again (starts to sound like a little much). In the mean time a wrestler who has won a hard fought match runs over to receive a limp wrist or knuckle bump from the opposing coach ( which I view as disrespectful) if anything at all (especially if the match was close). Most times in a very heated dual things are said by parents, volunteers, kids, and coaches alike to the winning wrestler. All because he did what he was supposed to do, win. I made it clear that we would not be going across the mat that night, in order to a.) speed things up, and b.) to protect my kids. I informed both the referees, and the other coaches. I understand many fans felt what we did was unsportsmanlike, or to punish Josh, quite the contrary. I was protecting my kids. We did shake hands after the duals as always and will continue to do so, as we will in skipping the perfunctory handshake with the opposing coach after the match.
That being said , all who won this weekend great, all who lost great too!! It's what we learn form both our wins and losses that count. December tournaments (while fun) aren't the tourneys you WANT to win, that one is in March : )

I was Born For THis

I was humbled, almost emotional on Saturday. We spend a lot of time away from our families, and their events to provide a top notch program, and to see all those parents there,(not just the same ones) it was almost a validation that what we do is important and has an impact. I was amazed, but not surprised when I saw all those parents in the cafeteria on Saturday. We do have the best parents in all of Sports! The kids worked very hard and really seemed to be eager to wrestle, ,and get started on this season. I know that we have a lot of things planned for this year, a lot of travel, a lot of wrestling and after Saturday it looks like a lot of support. Please drop me a note at ctaylor@cvusd.k12.ca.us if you have not received your e mail newsletter, I will add you and send one asap. Spirit Packs are in pick yours up now. Extras can be purchased for sibling and parents, in fact we are working on a parent specific line of clothing. I myself was extremely tired, but was rejuvenated after watching former Gopher Brock Lesnar defeat Randy Coutere last night. Man, I thought he was big in person!!!!! He looks even bigger on TV. The lineups will start to become clearer this week as we get a better idea of who wants to go where, and a second round of hydration is yet to be scheduled. As I sat in church this morning, the lines form a song made me think about the program and our season,

The greater things have yet to come the greater things are still to be done in this city

With 60 plus wrestlers on Saturday, including 5 football players, I truly believe that great things will happen this year for south hills wrestling.

Our hearts and prayers go out to all affected by the fires. If you or anyone else you know needs assistance, and the wrestlers, coaching staff, or boosters can help in ANY way let us know. Good luck to our Wrestlers playing Friday night in the 1st round of the CIF playoffs. Congratulations to Mike Ramos and Matt Sustayta on a great senior cross country season.
Maybe by Monday I will have my voice back and wont be so sore :)

Things will get interesting

This week the wrestling room will be open on Monday night from 6-8 and Wednesday night from 6:30 - 8:30 for some more intense drilling and conditioning. The reason, two actually. We are ALL going to the SCWA tournament at West Covina on the 18th, and we are a little behind after our mandatory shutdown. The latter proved successfiul, as everyone of the 72 wrestlers on the off season roster have their forms and Adopt a husky in. We have mailed over 20 more Albertsons cards and will see a big check in a few months. The next two major projects are getting the district to move a little faster on the purchase of our new mat, and to get the remaining 35 or so kids to pay for the session six clinic. Remember there will be an all parent meeting on October 30th and we will have all the hydration information available as we will hydrate on the 28th. I know that the Halloween open is on the 25th, but last year it was really crowded and several wrestlers only wrestled once or twice, and the coaches feel that the amount of time we will spend in the Session six training log will benefit us more. Look for very tired, sore and cranky wrestlers this week.

Clinic Cancellation and Changes

Parents due to the low number of sign ups for the Clinics, we regretfully inform you we will be canceling the following clinics: Mack Reiter and Cole Konrad, Brandon Eggum and Luke Becker, Nick Purler. It is uncertain whether we will reschedule any of these clinics. We are under a binding contract with session six and will still hold the October 25th clinic. The cost for this clinic will be 50.00, regardless of whether or not you have a session six book. This is a mandatory clinic. We will be returning your deposits, and all checks can be made to Chris Taylor. We are sorry for this inconvenience, and please understand that it will not happen again. If you have any questions please call one of the coaches immediately

WHO: Mike Clayton Session Six WHEN: October 25th
WHERE: South Hills Wrestling Room TIME: 12 Noon to 5 p.m.

ANy onformation on session six can be found at coach Clayton's website:

http://www.session6wrestling.com/