hey fellas, how did you fare in high school and college wrestling?

[nerfstate]

I have a disability that would have made competing pretty dangerous for me. Life-long fan after my first match at Rec Hall though, where I saw Jeff Prescott compete.

I have nothing but respect for anyone who competes in this sport; and recognize there are some things I’m incapable of fully understanding given my position.

For the record, and as one might expect, I’m not a fan of the belief that you had to have competed to be a fan of the sport or heaven forbid have an opinion about it. I mostly see that opined on that other board, but it’s not exactly advancing the universal (if often contradictory) goal of growing the sport. Do those guys not yell at their tv when their favorite football team’s kicker shanks one?

 

[ss7]

Started wrestling in 1st grade. By 7th grade, I was wrestling year round. Good not great, went something like 12-4 in 7th and 8th grades. Crowning achievement was probably 2nd at GR states summer after 8th grade. I usually don't mention that here were only 5 or 6 guys in the bracket (the perks of being a lightweight).

Had to stop at the beginning of 9th grade because of medical issue (heart). Helped out/coached youth team for 2 years after.

 

[fortheglory94]

Started wrestling in 5th grade, and continued through HS. 103 pounder in NJ, and unfortunately the kid in front of me at that weight in HS was a states caliber wrestler. To be kind to myself, I was not at that level. Finally got to start my senior year, and frankly by then I was pretty much burned out on the sport. Had an up and down season, and my "career" ended on a bad call by the ref at the districts. My passion for the sport renewed big time upon arriving at PSU, and have since learned that I enjoy watching it much more than I did participating in it.

 

[WEAREPSU_LI]

Went 17-9 my Senior year. Made it to counties. My junior year I was out because of injury. Fresh and Soph were JV with some V matches. Wrestled club at PSU, got my ass kicked by PA boys.

 

[SWPA]

Wrestling was not offered at my school but it may have been for the better as my relationship with my father may have taken a turn for the worse had I wrestled. Regardless, it is my favorite sport and I am the target audience for the future if we want wrestling to continue.

 

[KOPStu]

I started wrestling in 8th grade with an amazingly talented group of guys. In HS, I wrestled 98, 105 & finished off at 112. I started varsity for two years & did OK. Won the Ridley Christmas Tournament my senior year by pinning three guys, including the #1 seed in the finals. He tried a stand up, off the whistle at the start of the 2nd period, and I locked up a near side cradle & just drove him over for the fall. He was pretty upset after the match. That was fun! Placed 3rd in sectionals & just missed qualifying for Regional.
Went to Shippensburg University for college & was on the wrestling team there for a few weeks. I quit after doing a five mile run. I was dealing with asthma & adjusting to college life and running five miles a days just seemed like too much. Flash forward 30 years, I run 50-70 miles per week with 20 mile long runs and have completed 8 marathons. Kind of makes me ironically laugh to think about that decision. I got to coach in youth wrestling for several years and thoroughly enjoyed it. Following PSU & college wrestling is fun & I enjoy the content of this board.

 

[OldPAwrestler]

Started wrestling in 9th grade in a small school in District XI, the hotbed in PA. Never really that good, but developed a love for the sport. Saucon Valley was the big dog in my conference, and I wrestled the younger of the Rodriguez boys, before he was a 2x state champion. A bad concussion in my junior year ended my career. Constant headaches with any type of exertion, which lasted for years. Well before concussions became a thing. Went to some Lehigh matches for a while, then life got in the way. Been a PSU season ticket holder, right around when wrestling started... 2011. Side note, Willie from Flo's uncle graduated same year, same school, as me.

Utmost respect for any wrestler who steps on a mat as a collegian. What it take to get there, is just amazing.

 

[Fatmarc]

started wrestling as a freshman in DE. Wrestled Varsity JR/SR years, qualified for states, but didn't place. I was a headcase. My college dropped wrestling my freshman year- I considered walking on, would have for sure been a room guy...

I wrestled a bunch of open tournaments and ended up coaching for 10 years... I was the youngest head coach in DE for a while and helped lead a traditionally non-wrestling power school into the top 10 for a few years... As a team, we qualified for state duals and got slapped around pretty good by two programs that were both nationally top 10 at the time...

I was a much better coach than wrestler... the lessons of wrestling have served me well in life...

If I'm honest, I never followed college wrestling until the internet made matches/tournaments available. Didn't start out a Penn State fan, but was ultimately pulled in due to how the kids wrestled, how the kids handle themselves... I still have favorites in other programs but ultimately have become a Penn State Wrestling fan... Cheers...

 

[jbkeller72]

I lost in the consi semis at districts (District 3, so regionals) my senior year. I like to think my weight class (275) was pretty loaded my senior year with 2 eventual DI AAs and and another guy who was a 2-time PIAA finalist, 1-time champ, coming out of District 3.

 

[Diego Badman]

Only wrestled in 7th and 8th grade, but don't think I missed being at a dual meet during HS. Then lost touch with it, until my boys started. Lived vicariously through them, and now live vicariously through the boys in blue. Since I live vicariously through them, I'm really, really good now.

Pretty much I echo this. Wrestled in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. I did okay, but I didn't have the desire to be really good or to commit myself. I loved the sport and never missed a home match.

I had maintained a casual interest in the sport, but I've really become "all in" on Penn State under Cael.

 

[eddy line]

Started wrestling in 6th grade. Wrestled four years in high school (District 1), two years at the varsity level. Usually on the short-end of close, low scoring (i.e., boring) matches. Wrestled a little in college at the D3 level. Gave it up when I discovered beer.

Combined all of the worst aspects of wrestling -- cut a lot of weight, especially my senior year, and wrestled a style that was tantamount to watching paint dry. You could say I coupled OSU's predilection for big weight cuts with Iowa's wrestling style, only at a level exponentially lower than those programs.

Love watching guys like DT, Retherford, Nolf and Nickal get after it precisely because it's not the way I wrestled (but wish I did).

 

[NittanyLion84]

I got into wrestling, because I had an older first cousin, who became a state champ out of Erie and latter wrestled for Cornell. Was an average PA High School wrestler, attended a few summer camps at Clarion. My highlight was I got an 18 second pin, which I believe is still my high school record. I have been following Penn State wrestling since I was a student there, in the early 80’s.

 

[impalanut]

wrestled one year in high school, multiple JV matches from 112 -132 as a 112'er. Usually lost to the bigger guys, never got pinned. Always followed PSU wrestling. Was also a gymnast so had to pick one since the seasons were concurrent. Gymnast at PSU under Gene Wettstone, walk on who got into a few unimportant meets.
Really appreciate the work it takes to be a college athlete,

 

[HAMMER167]

2 x Va state champ & 2 x Natl Finalist USWF Iowa City and AAU Nats In TN

 

[dms87]

Started wrestling in 8th grade. 4 year Varsity wrestler in Baltimore at a prep school. About .500 over the 4 years. Freshman year I wrestled 98 and even sucked down to 93 for an experimental weight at Nat'l Preps that year. Didn't get out of the pigtail... Placed in my conference tournament my junior and senior year after taking two years of mostly beatings. I knew my limitations though and played a different sport in college but did wrestle in the room in guys on the team in their off-seasons. Mostly took beatings there too..

I still love the sport, follow it at the high school and college levels religiously, and respect the hell out of anyone committed to try this at a college level, regardless of division. These PSU wrestlers amaze me in the physical and mental talent.

 

[raslen007]

Started in 6th grade, started (4) years in high school at 98, 112 & 119. Maybe an above average wrestler for my area but not great. My son was better in 8th grade than I ever was. My coach would say man if you could wrestle in a match like you do in practice you would be awesome. I had nervous issues and I would throw up before every match. Coach would give me a little purple pill with a butterfly on it (placebo).

Biggest claim to fame is two eventual state champs Donnie Horning of Cameron County and Leland Sipes of Curwensville both decked me my junior and senior years.

I miss the mat burns.

 

[Dogwelder]

... I miss the mat burns.

Ha ha. That reminded me of something I'd forgotten for decades. I used to have bruises all over the right side of my temple and upper cheek because that's where my face hit the opponent's hips on double-leg shots. I think I just bruise easily in general. My biology teacher (also the school's weightlifting coach) would always say things like, "you're running out of room on your face for bruises".
Also, I was (and am?) the nerdiest nerd you could imagine, and in 100 years I would never think to try out for a school sports team, but the wrestling coach was talking to my best friend who was a wrestler and recruited me, who just happened to be there, because the coach was desperate for a 98 pounder. The coach changed my life right there. Without wrestling, I never would have had the confidence to let me marry as well as I did.

 

[BoHunter0210]

Started in 3rd grade. Also tried JUDO. Wrestled for a club team and school team. No accolades just respect for the worlds toughest sport. My brother was a HS wrestler back then who quit his senior year. I wasn't very serious about sports back then. I gave effort but I don't know if I gave it my all. Hung up the headgear in 7th or 8th grade. Sames as baseball. Stopped playing football after 9th grade. Chased girls and worked after that. Went to college and got my degree.

My oldest kid (daughter) started wrestling in 3rd grade and wrestled until 9th grade. I of course wanted to help. So I did. So I got back into it. Loved coaching and working with the kids. If I was half the wrestler my daughter was I would have been pretty good. She was talented enough that I think she could have competed on the national stage but lingering back injuries and concussions limited her sports.

Trying to get my 4th grade son into wrestling but he hasn't bit yet. I don't want to push it but hopefully someday he tries it. I believe in the life lessons this sport teaches just through limited experience.

Regret not taking the sport ,or any sport for that matter, more seriously. I doubt I would have been a title contender but think I could have been a starter in HS.

 

[nerfstate]

This is a cool thread to read through--thanks @Uncle Fester Addams . Really shows the diversity of some of our posters here. I keep waiting for one of us to out themselves as Jim Martin, DT or Q or somebody, and putting us all to shame.

 

[Shifty15]

Never wrestled other than PE (that in itself dates me!), but had good friends who wrestled in HS so I became a fan. Baseball for me but it relates to the some comments mentioned where burnout led to many kids quitting when they go to college. Amazed me at the time because I enjoyed it and was not forced to play. After time and from an older perspective seeing kids being pushed and badgered, it is easy to understand why some give up their respective sport. Made many good wrestling friends in college and still keep in touch with some. Love the PSU style and tenacity to score points.

 

[Used2BEerie]

Started in 6th grade, started (4) years in high school at 98, 112 & 119. Maybe an above average wrestler for my area but not great. My son was better in 8th grade than I ever was. My coach would say man if you could wrestle in a match like you do in practice you would be awesome. I had nervous issues and I would throw up before every match. Coach would give me a little purple pill with a butterfly on it (placebo).

Biggest claim to fame is two eventual state champs Donnie Horning of Cameron County and Leland Sipes of Curwensville both decked me my junior and senior years.

I miss the mat burns.

I graduated with Horning.

 

[Cali_Nittany]

This is a cool thread to read through--thanks @Uncle Fester Addams . Really shows the diversity of some of our posters here. I keep waiting for one of us to out themselves as Jim Martin, DT or Q or somebody, and putting us all to shame.

DT and I combined have 2 national championships.

 

[funkisfun12]

I had a pretty short lived high school career. Had a decent record as a sophomore when my coach thought that it would be cool if I wrestled a kid from Easton named Moss Grays, who finished his career 3, 3, 1 at AAA states I believe. Haha. 2nd period, Grays actually claps in my face once. Yup, I flinched. Before I knew it I was airborne in a double. 20 or so seconds later was the first time I had ever been taken straight over the top with double arm bars. I concentrated on baseball exclusively after that season, ended up playing in college. For some reason I still look forward to the start of wrestling season more than baseball season though. World's oldest and greatest.

 

[raslen007]

I graduated with Horning.

I think he went to Clarion. Not sure how his career went there.

 

[Used2BEerie]

I think he went to Clarion. Not sure how his career went there.

He wrestled one year and then took up cheerleading.

 

[District four]

I wrestled at Benton, placed twice in AA. I wrestled for the Marine Corps team my first few years in the Corps. Never college but did compete in a few opens with the Corps.

Lot of great wrestlers went through that school.

 

[Conewago]

FIFY

Simply by the math, this is correct

(Note: I am a lifelong District 3 resident)

Individual state championships by district

1) District 7 (WPIAL): 393
2) District 11: 256
3) District 1: 185
t4) District 6: 182
t4) District 4: 182
6) District 3: 172
7) District 10: 140
8) District 9: 90
9) District 2: 53
10) District 5: 20
t11) District 8 (Pittsburgh): 1 (Godwin Nyama)
t11) District 12 (Philly): 1 (Joe Galasso)

Credit should go to District 4 and 6 for winning more championships per capita

 

[Conewago]

Never wrestled

So I try not to be TOO much of a big mouth

Didn't even get involved with watching wrestling till I was a late teenager - 17 or 18. Fell in love with it right away, and I always will love it.

 

[lionlover]

Also, I was (and am?) the nerdiest nerd you could imagine, and in 100 years I would never think to try out for a school sports team, but the wrestling coach was talking to my best friend who was a wrestler and recruited me, who just happened to be there, because the coach was desperate for a 98 pounder. The coach changed my life right there. Without wrestling, I never would have had the confidence to let me marry as well as I did.

I am sure he is happy that you married him too! @Tom McAndrew

 

[Uncle Fester Addams]

lots of people here understanding wrestling and what it brings to life. everybody that is a wrestler or shakes a head yes gets it. good people you are

 

[oldcougar65]

Wrestled Jr Hi thru college (a pretty good Div 2 program that isn't so great anymore and is Div3). Made semi-finals of states at a time when only 4 kids per weight class made states. I guess my major claim to fame is I wrestled 10 years and gave up 3 back points total - a 1 pointer (I pinned the kid), and after they changed the rules, a 2 pointer (cost me Districts and still pisses me off).

 

[Dogwelder]

I am sure he is happy that you married him too! @Tom McAndrew

Hey, just because my shirt has pirate sleeves doesn’t mean I married a he! Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

 

[Rhino80]

Lot of great wrestlers went through that school.

Yes and I got mauled by a few of them in the practice room regularly.

I never realized just how special PA wrestling was until I moved away. I had to do a wrestle off for a spot on the Marine team my first year against a kid from Georgia. All I kept hearing about was he was a 4 time state champ , with 1 loss in 4 years. I'll admit , I was a little worried. I ended up pinning him in the first, twice.

The gauntlet that is a PA HS wrestling season is hard to replicate.

 

[PANCAKE1]

I wrestled from 4th grade to 12th grade, I was on the Mat town kids elementary program in Lock Haven PA before moving to Colorado. Was always varsity.
1986 Colorado 138LBS State Champ took 3rd at states 2 years at 132.

3 time Colorado Freestyle state Champ and placed 3rd twice at freestyle nationals and 2nd once.

I have Scholarship offers but did not wrestle in college.

 

[razpsu]

No but I went to high school in the best wrestling district in PA .District Four

Does that include state college? I thought that was district 6. The early to mid 80’s state college, bald eagle, philipsburg and clearfield dominated the state.

 

[Shifty15]

Does that include state college? I thought that was district 6. The early to mid 80’s state college, bald eagle, philipsburg and clearfield dominated the state.

Clearfield is in District 9

 

[Bob_Anderson]

I only wrestled 7th and 8th grade at swatara jr. High in Harrisburg. After that it was all baseball. 85lb in 7th and 100/105 in 8th. I wrestled alongside mike Khan who would eventually become a 2 time state champ for Harrisburg high in ~96-97. Coach wolf would give him the tougher assignment out of 100/105 and I got the easier kid. Khan was an animal and the craziest thing about him was he wrestled 100/103 from 7th grade until he graduated. I believe he went to lock haven, but was too small to wrestle, so he boxed instead. I think my record was roughly 20-5 in 8th grade, but I can hardly even remember it.

 

[07mantle]

got pulled into wrestling my freshman year by my best friends older brother who was a ‘local’ wrestling legion in high school and in college (at Bloomsburg under Russ Houk) ..pretty good high school record my last two years after getting pulverized the first two years ... had a .500 record at Bloomsburg but then transferred to Penn State where fraternity intramurals was the best place for me to wrestle (and eat again) ... will always respect and appreciate what guys go thru ‘in a wrestling room’ and then step out on a mat ... just you, him and the ref ...lol. highlight of my high school career was it got me hooked up with the cutest cheerleader from an opposing school

 

[Rhino80]

I wrestled from 4th grade to 12th grade, I was on the Mat town kids elementary program in Lock Haven PA before moving to Colorado. Was always varsity.
1986 Colorado 138LBS State Champ took 3rd at states 2 years at 132.

3 time Colorado Freestyle state Champ and placed 3rd twice at freestyle nationals and 2nd once.

I have Scholarship offers but did not wrestle in college.

I'm out in Colorado now too. It's our first year here so kinda new to the wrestling scene. I have little ones so I'm more involved in the youth stuff. We are in Grand Junction, got my boy in a pretty good club. Hes making big jumps , much better than wrestling in Hawaii.

 

[Ski]

I wasn’t good enough to make the team, but I would regularly beat Nico in the room. Made him the man he is today.