Somers,

You bring up only a few names of wrestlers that have been exceptional in the nation that started when they were young. What about all the others that started out at the same time, but did not reach the notoriety? As a wrestling coach, I have seen kids that have been wrestling forever that were horrible. Vice versa, I've seen kids that just started beat defending state champs. There's one thing you forgot in your equation - athletic ability.

Bunch, Bork, and others are gifted athletes. They have reached their potential by great coaching surrounding them in combination with athletic ability. Everyone would agree that you can't take a "fish" and make him a "shark". My father always said that if "the boy don't bite as a puppy, he ain't gonna bite when his a big dog." Having watched Bunch since he was in junior high, I can tell you right now, he was a ferocious competitor. Starting a kid as soon as possible doesn't do it - it's what kind of disposition a kid has in combination to athletic prowess.

Some things to consider. When a person first starts to wrestle, their knowledge of the sport shoots up extrememly quick. We then have a leveling off period in which continues to accelerate, but not at the rate we once learned. After that, it's all up to knowledge and pure athleticism. This is why some "experienced" wresters will be a 1st year wrester and then have problems with him the following year or two. The experienced wrestler is no longer wrestling someone who is clueless, but knows strategy, etc. I have personally coached a kid that started wrestling his freshman year and in his junior year, beat a state placer in the 1st round, a state champion in the second round, another state placer in the semis, and another state placer in the finals. I should also make note that he had wrestled each of those wrestlers through those three years multiple times and had NEVER beat any of them. It was one of the proudest moments of my life (I don't have kids of my own yet).

I have even had this discussion with college coaches and some of them like the kids that are athletic, but have started later in their lives because they haven't developed into the wrestler that says, I don't do that, it's not my style. These late bloomers are diamonds in the rough and the coaches have the opportunity to make them into something. I've seen collegiate wrestlers that are unwilling to change a technique and are resistant to change. They don't go as far because they want to stay in their old habits and collegiate wresting is another step up. Those that have wrestled in college will tell you it is true.

Anyway, lunch is about over and I have kids coming in.

gibby