ADVERTISEMENT

PA HS Wrestling thread

I’ve said it before, I cringe every time I see the Bassetts and their crew doing their 5 am workouts everyday. Forget bodies holding up, Burnou is quite likely going to happen to some of them.
I have been involved with doing work for Blair Academy over the years plus my daughter's went to their basketball camp. I met AD a few times , they wanted their athletes to do multiple sports. Numerous wrestlers competed on Lacrosse/Track teams. I think Buxton would give the kids the opportunity but at a certain point his wrestlers would be expected on the mat.
Too many coaches do not understand that cross training in sports is good and can benefit a kid. Burnout is real for some kids.
I met a one time Division 1 defensive coordinator and he said when he looked at potential recruits he would always look at a kid who wrestled. He spoke of the physical traits involving hands and the discipline that a wrestler needs to have.
 
I have been involved with doing work for Blair Academy over the years plus my daughter's went to their basketball camp. I met AD a few times , they wanted their athletes to do multiple sports. Numerous wrestlers competed on Lacrosse/Track teams. I think Buxton would give the kids the opportunity but at a certain point his wrestlers would be expected on the mat.
Too many coaches do not understand that cross training in sports is good and can benefit a kid. Burnout is real for some kids.
I met a one time Division 1 defensive coordinator and he said when he looked at potential recruits he would always look at a kid who wrestled. He spoke of the physical traits involving hands and the discipline that a wrestler needs to have.
What ever happened to kids being kids and doing multiple sports. Now it’s hard to name a huge recruit that does multiple sports unless they are 215 and Hwt’s
You have to be able to throw a dodge ball if you come to happy valley. At least in your off time start chucking a volleyball
 
I could see Feldman potentially changing his mind within the next year. He is an animal but there is no better room for a heavy, and I have this sense Kerk won't go all 4 years.
The advantage of Cael’s strategic recruiting approach is he knows that when a top recruit initially commits to Ohio State, they will eventually enter the transfer portal.

After they discover that they won’t learn how to get off bottom, and their coach relies on pin chains and robes to motivate them, the best talent will seek the best coaching (e.g. GK and Kyle for his post grad career)

When they do that, if Cael is interested he will welcome a select few that will fit the program.

That way he essentially gets the best talent from 2-3 recruiting classes while preserving scholarships.

As more NLWC members win Olympic medals the cycle will just continue to repeat.

That is indeed already happening as the grand master is looking at 2025 and beyond. In the meantime, The Brands brothers are trying to decide how to pull the appropriate redshirts week to week to position Iowa to win one more championship. Tactics may win a single battle, but strategy ultimately wins the war.
 
What do you make of Feldman, Mendez, and Bouzakis all choosing tOSU?

I think that makes you a distant 3rd at BIGs for many years to Come is what I make of it
giphy-downsized-large.gif
 
TJ Sebolt is in year 12 or 13 with his cub. They are hardly just getting started in college. He had high school kids in 2010. He expanded his strategy and started taking in more and more already developed kids who were already very good before training with him. He is an excellent coach, but he isn't new to the game. The next 5-6 years will tell the story from a success stand point with his methods. Much of his coaching involves superior hand fighting and conditioning advantages which may be a little harder to keep long term. I expect mixed results like most high end club guys. Drake hitting the mat for Iowa is interesting to me in I'm curious to see if he ends up being just really good (3-4X AA) or a dominant champion. The kid is a stud but is there more room to grow or is he near his peak?
His first big college recruit was Schriever. He had guys early on who went D3. Wasn't saying he was just getting started. Was meaning with D1 guys . I don't know of any other D1 guys he trained for years before Schriever. Maybe you know of others? Drake has so much to learn still. He will continue to improve
 
He worked with Cory Clark quite a bit when Clark was JH and early high school age. He had a kid from Osage who went to Iowa but left (can't recall the name). Scott Sebolt had higher Power wrestling for years and they had quite a few guys end up wrestling D1. Some of the guys I know that trained with his dad are Clark, Jack Hathaway, Willie Miklus, and Justin Koethe. TJ has picked up several high level high school kids the past 5-6 years. It will be interesting. You had better be in shape when you wrestle a Sebolt trained guy because he will be. I do think some of the big wins are a result of superior conditioning which somewhat loses that edge once everyone hits a college environment.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nitlion6
He worked with Cory Clark quite a bit when Clark was JH and early high school age. He had a kid from Osage who went to Iowa but left (can't recall the name). Scott Sebolt had higher Power wrestling for years and they had quite a few guys end up wrestling D1. Some of the guys I know that trained with his dad are Clark, Jack Hathaway, Willie Miklus, and Justin Koethe. TJ has picked up several high level high school kids the past 5-6 years. It will be interesting. You had better be in shape when you wrestle a Sebolt trained guy because he will be. I do think some of the big wins are a result of superior conditioning which somewhat loses that edge once everyone hits a college environment.

I knew his dad had a club years ago. He trained some studs as well. What TJ is doing for the sport is great. It may not be for everyone but we still need it.
 
I knew his dad had a club years ago. He trained some studs as well. What TJ is doing for the sport is great. It may not be for everyone but we still need it.
I agree. We need the clubs in Iowa. I wasn't being negative on Sebolt wrestling, but rather wondering aloud if some of the keys to success will translate as well as say elite scrambling that comes out of Askren or top wrestling dominance like we are seeing fro some of the M2 guys. Sebolt seems to teach basic position wrestling with heavy emphasis on hand fighting and superior conditioning. These are extremely important assets in college wrestling but may be a little easier to include in normal college practice rooms than advanced scrambling ability. Time will be the deciding factor. I too think Drake has room to grow and I really like the Block kid from Waverly as a college prospect.
 
I agree. We need the clubs in Iowa. I wasn't being negative on Sebolt wrestling, but rather wondering aloud if some of the keys to success will translate as well as say elite scrambling that comes out of Askren or top wrestling dominance like we are seeing fro some of the M2 guys. Sebolt seems to teach basic position wrestling with heavy emphasis on hand fighting and superior conditioning. These are extremely important assets in college wrestling but may be a little easier to include in normal college practice rooms than advanced scrambling ability. Time will be the deciding factor. I too think Drake has room to grow and I really like the Block kid from Waverly as a college prospect.
In other words he teaches an Iowa style of wrestling lol
 
  • Like
Reactions: nitlion6
I remember it was mentioned Kerk wanted to go in 2020 because he only wanted to do 4 years in school anyways. I think his goal was always to be out by 2023 and focus on Olympics that year and then move into MMA after. With Gable vacating after this year and Kerk looking to have a path to the title (especially after beating Parris), it might work perfectly. Win 2023 NCAAs then be done with college.

Though on the flip side, he wanted to wrestle in college rather than focus on free in 2020 so maybe he wasn't hellbent on only doing free to prepare for the Olympics. Wrestling is wrestling after all so maybe he won't be for sure done in 2023. That being said, nobody should expect him to take all 5 of his NCAAs. I'd be very happy if he took 4.
 
Next time. My niece and husband bought a house on the lake, had to see the new place and get home. I left 10 year old and 1 year old Shepards with parents for the day.
Cant take them with. I have three and they bark at every little thing lol
 
D11 representing! Surprised to see Parkland there. Have they been building their program recently? I don't remember them being top tier in D11 wrestling. Guessing a few of the Northampton guys (my high school) will be getting scholarships to Bethlehem Catholic or "moving" across the Moore Township line to Nazareth
 
  • Like
Reactions: danoftw
northern jr high invitational was last weekend. pretty sure northampton ran away with it and norwin finished second, both well ahead of nazareth
To show how far we've come I wrestled at the northern tournament in 91 and 92. In 92 my mom won a raffle at the tournament and her prize was a lever action 30/30.

I don't remember ever shooting it and it just sits in my pops safe as the only raffle my mom ever won
 
…Pat Glory’s coach was a former Penn State NCAA champion (1984) by the name of Carl DeStefanis - some of you old geezers might remember him…
I saw Carl D. and Scott Lynch win the titles in person over the Meadowlands. Decided to take the hour+ drive with a friend to watch finals. We bought tickets at the arena for around 20 bucks. How times have changed for that event.
 
Last edited:
I commented a couple of weeks ago that it would take a good team to beat Nazareth. Last night BECA beat Nazareth 30-24.
Speaking of a freshman to watch. BECAs 106 pounder Nate Desmond is a stud.
 
Hungry for some recruiting news. Who will be our next big commitment? When will it happen? Any guesses?🤔
 
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest posts

ADVERTISEMENT