For the last 21 years of volunteer coaching (13 with the Pope Jr program), all I could think about each day was how I could improve the wrestlers I was coaching and how I could improve as a coach myself. It’s been an obsession. Constantly studying the sport, as well as different techniques for teaching based on how kids learn.
But I was frustrated. While the team was having success and many wrestlers were placing & winning state titles, I felt that there was so much more I could give. There were more wrestlers who didn’t accomplish their goals and there was potential for some to become national studs in high school and beyond…if I only had more time. I never had enough time to give because I had a full time job.
So as the 2014-15 season was coming to a close, I finally decided to answer the call and follow my passion to make coaching wrestling my full time career. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.
Why I love coaching
There is something incredible that happens when a wrestler achieves a breakthrough moment. Wrestling is a challenging sport and when someone works their tail off and accomplishes their goal, it is something special to watch. That’s why I named it Level Up. My job is to help wrestlers, no matter where they currently are, to reach new heights and achieve new levels.
My Goals for Level Up
They are simple:
- I want to spend my days affecting the lives of others in a positive way. Wrestling is a channel in which I feel I have the talent to do this.
- I want to grow the sport of wrestling and expose it’s great benefits to more and more people.
- I want to produce NCAA Division 1 National Champions from the state of Georgia. We, as a state, have grown tremendously over the last 10 years and we are poised to start consistently developing college and Olympic level athletes. I want to be part of elevating our accomplishments.