My thoughts:

You're right Mr. Salyer, I am sensitive to discussions of success, coaching, and questions of integrity or personal character - not only those directed to me, but to those directed at my friends, peers or institutions of which I am a part.

One thing that I would suggest to all who may participate on this post, is that disagreement is not always 'bashing'. Adults can disagree, both with merit in their argument, without resorting to demeaning comments or adolescent trash talk. For instance this forum is rife with talk of take down vs riding, Grand State value, State Dual discussion, etc. Great. Opinions are similar to flatulence...they all smell and sound different.

Too many instances occur when one who disagrees is automatically labled a blasphemer and sent to the post. I can agree or disagree, but with a simple caveat that my discussion should at least be cogent, informed and civil.

Success is relative. Some measure it in medals, trophies, and national placers. Others measure it incrementally in terms of wrestlers meeting their own goals and abilities. Was Manhattan High at the same level 15 years ago before Coach Woodford arrived? Was Norton the same prior to Coach Johnson? Pick the school. ALL HAD TO START a tradition at a distinct point in time. Some more recently, others decades ago. The point is that at some point in time a dedicated individual came along and said "I wish to help" and was able to motivate students to participate. That same individual could have simply sat on the bleachers and muttered and railed against what 'should be'.

The one element that has been neglected (in this deviation from the original string on this post) is that Coach Holmes served when no one else would ... and for those 15 wrestlers he coached he gave of himself and bettered them.

What happened after he left was simply out of his control. That analogy would have us blame all the head coaches of univeristies who no longer carry the sport due to Title IX for the loss of the program.

Isn't the essence of coaching to give of oneself in and effort to better another. Medals, trophies, placers, etc....are all elements that OTHERS use to qualify the coaching experience, most of whom have neither the skill or motivation to do so. Success for any wrestler is shaking hands with your opponent before the match...anything after that is superflous to the true nature of the sport. Some achieve greatness. Others, such as a young man at Manhattan who has CP, achieve success every nite at practice when they run the drills with their peers. He achieved greatness when he also won a match. It wasn't in front of thousands at a State Venue. It wasn't at a national tournament or tracked closely by fans such as Mr. Salyer. It was a JV match in front of his parents and other team mates. So which is the greater success?

There exists a poem about two great combatants who are bloddied and bowed in the ring or sand pit (whatever), but resonates with the truth and that AT LEAST THEY WERE IN THE RING.

So, dear reader, there exists a school in need of a wrestling coach...are you QUALIFIED and READY to VOLUNTEER?

Coach Shea