Dodge High hires wrestling coach
Former NCAA wrestler Lars Lueders prepared to take reins
By JR O'Dell
Dodge City Daily Globe
Former Dodge High wrestling coach Mike Bammes had the Red Demon wrestling program on the right track.
The Demons qualified more wrestlers for state than any other year and senior Jesse Barber won a state title at 119 pounds.
Bammes officially resigned after the wrestling season ended and left a ship heading in the right direction without a captain.
Dodge High Athletic Director Jay Gifford may have found the right man to captain that ship.
Dodge High hired Lars Lueders as their head wrestling coach and new math teacher.
Lueders is just finishing his wrestling career at Western State College of Colorado. Lueders was a two-time First Team RMAC wrestler and two-time NCAA Division 2 national qualifier.
"Coach Gifford talked to my wrestling coach and said he was looking for a wrestling coach and a math teacher," Lueders said. "I just happened to be a math major and I was really impressed by the facilities at Dodge City High School. The wrestling room is the size of my college wrestling room."
The soon to be 24-year-old Lueders brings a youthful enthusiasm to the Demon wrestling program.
"I think it's a big thing that I'm young and just finishing up my wrestling career," Lueders said. "I understand what it is to go through a long wrestling season."
Lueders said he's definitely not in wrestling shape anymore, but he plans on getting out on the mat and working with the wrestlers everyday.
"I'll be getting in there a lot," he said. "I'll get into shape as the season progresses."
But, don't let his youth fool you. Lueders is an experienced coach. He has coached at the high school and middle school levels as well as being a camp clinician in college.
"The main thing I know is that every kid has his own style and learns different," Lueders said. "Every kid doesn't respond to the same coaching technique. But, I was taught that hard work pays off. I'm going to work hard and I expect the kids to work hard to be successful."
Lueders also plans to be involved in building wrestling in the community.
"Coach Lueders brings a vision of developing an inclusive community wrestling program to Dodge City, from the kids club through the high school level," Gifford said. "He is a passionate, knowledgeable and personable young coach who will bring new excitement to the DCHS program."
Lueders said he plans to get involved quite a bit with the youth programs in Dodge in hopes of getting them excited for wrestling in the future.
But, he's also going to develop what he has now into a fine tuned wrecking machine.
"I'm really excited," he said. "I took a look at the state bracket and we have some tough kids coming back. I'm excited about getting the opportunity to coach a good group of kids."
Lueders said Dodge is a great community to foster a wrestling program in and he looks forward to one day finishing in the top five at the state tournament.
