I just thought it might be cool to have a topic for coaches and wrestlers to say who their most positive influences as wrestling coaches have been. I think some people might be surprised at how highly regarded some coaches are, even though others don't like them. PLEASE DON'T USE THIS TO BASH OTHERS. If you have something negative to say, do it on another thread please.

I've been lucky to have some of the best. Bobby Stein and Gary Harding were my kids club coaches in Salina. Mike Schauer was the best H.S. coach I could have asked for at Maize. Wayne Peterson and Bob Smith were great coaches for me at the college level. ****, with these great coaches I should have been a lot better!

Have at it.

Best Coach overall- Wyatt Frohling
Best Motivational Coach- Calvin King
Best Instructional Coach- Chas Thompson

I started in 7th grade, then moved schools and had no 8th grade then started as a freshman

Might we expand it a bit to include people that helped us - other than coaches?

I sucked as a timid, young wrestler. We had an undefeated state champ on our team. He always was kind to me and helped me. He role modeled good sportsmanship and hard work. That was cool. He was a humble dude. His name was Mike Porter. We are talking about the late 70's on the MO side! From his encouragement and example - i turned into a decent wrestler with a winning record and a good coach with several state champs (i no longer actively coach).

(On the flip side - we also had another undefeated one who was a total jerk.)

Have many of you other struggling wrestlers were helped by a studdly one? I imagine many of you Hutch wrestlers benefit from Cody Garcia in a similar way?

Coaches who have been a positive influence in my life (wrestling and otherwise):

My Dad- he coached middle school in Garden City when I was small. I used to watch him and his kids. He is a great individual!

Bill Johnson- Great coach, knows how to develop wrestlers that may not have the most skill and maximize their potential. (I was one of them).

Tony Fiscus- Great Coach (Football and wrestling). Really introduced the team concept of wrestling to us as our Junior High Head Coach.

Jake Durham- As a youngster I would watch Jake coach. I also got to know him through the church, which Jake always attended. A Class act in every respect.

Bruce Graber- A great Football coach who encouraged our success in all aspects of life.

Lee Woodford- A great mentor for young coaches. I learned a lot from him about wrestling, but also about developing good people while in the wrestling room.

Travis Keal- A great role model for wrestlers and a student of the sport.

I know I have left several off of that list, but I didn't realize until just then how lucky I have been during my athletic and coaching career to have dealt with such outstanding people!

Coaches that I absolutely appreciate for a lot:

Harold Jagerson- he demanded excellence on the mats and uniformity amongst his athletes. He brought Chapman pride by having them place in every regular season tournament for nearly 3 full years while I was there. Went on to coach at KSU for Club team.

Bill Christener - From the rival school of Abilene but always there with a good pat on the back or willing to help you out by giving you advice on personal matters and such. Very compassionate about the sport and like to see Kansas succeed on the national and college levels as well. A man of God and not afraid to pray right there for you.

Doug Moore- in my opinion probably the funniest most laid back coach in Kansas when I was in high school. Firey and Fierce as an opposing coach, but get to know him and he's someone that is eager to sit down and tell a good story with you wrestling or otherwise.

Gonzo- Went out of his way to talk with me on several occasions (most notably at 2004 kids state before I became ill) He talked with me about the desire to want to coach and gave me pointers on lessons he's learned in coaching and dove in deep with interest to see what my coaching mentality is if I desired to be a coach.

Bob Warkentine- TOUGH! When Coach Jagerson took Chapman over to Salina South for a Summer Workout Wrestling Camp we got to see Bob Warkentine get in there and scrap it up with us guys. He was a methodical coach and would show you a move from several angles. After attending his camp Chapman had some noticable changes in agressiveness and heart. Bob would make a great College coach.

ToachCwink-

I'm not on your list? I'm the one who taught you all those sweet cheap tilts!

A great coach who doesn't get a lot of recognition--Chuck Hendricks, head wrestling coach at Eisenhower Middle School. Good coach, better man.

Good call, Prant ..... haven't seen Chuck for quite a stretch ...... but you are absolutlely right ...... good coach .... great with kids ..... good of you to remember him here!

The people who have really changed me in wrestling would have to be...

Darian Eshelman- One of the hardest working coaches in the state. Whenever we had a run, he ran with us, wether it be summer or wrestling season. Every tough practice he put us through he did everything we did. He knew how to motivate me and taught me to believe in myself. Really puts time into the wrestlers who want to become good, extra indiv. morning practices, runs, summer practices, weights motivational talks, he did it all.

Jeremy Terrell- The best wrestler to have came from our school, I was lucky enough to wrestle with him. The hardest working wrestler in the state at his time. This kid did countless hours of extra practices and runs during and out of the season to become as good as he was. Very self disciplined and I learned many things from him.

And las but not least Dan Gable- I had the privledge to wrestle at his camp in Iowa 2 years, and he just blew me away with his knowledge. He helped me alot and taught me many things about wrestling and life. Great Great man!

Mike Schauer - Used to take a few kids down to OSU. I think that is where I started thinking about wrestling after high school. Some kids thought he was to hard on them in the room. Later on the figured out he was just trying to see how tuff you were. Many coaches were about #'s Schauer wanted the workers.

Bob Smith - I can't even explain what a coach he was.

Cody Bickly - Before taking over FHSU. He used to wrestle with us alot. I think that is where he did his best during a grind match. He also had so much passion cause he believed in the wrestlers, so he would push them more.

Ryan "the caucasian brother I never had" Jilka - During my Senior year he also pushed kids. Making them wrestle better. Making the room more like a team instead of good individuals.

Ryan - I was in Jr High school with Bobby Stein and he always impressed me with his dedication to the kids and the sport.

There have been so many~
David Nigg-as my coach at Wichita South, As my head coach while I was an assistant, and now my assistant who will mentor me in my first years as a head coach at Wichita South.

Jody Thompson-Great Great man at Labette CC.

Tony May-Derby

Eric Prichard (Wichita NW head coach), In my state championship year, Eric was my best work-out partner aside from the 189 pound Joe Nelson (2 X undefeated state champion)

These four who stand out the most!

I wrestled Joe once.

Crazy eyed Joe Nelson......How'd ya do Swayz? I don't think that guy had any fat on him.

Kevin Klemm was very motivating and always beleived in his wrestlers.

Swayz, how old are you? I thought Joe was about a 99 grad or so.

Carmona, no hispanic brother I never had should call someone crazy eyed. I thought Ricardo was a better influence on you than that.

Joe graduated in 97

Rich had a twich in his eye.

Thanks for the info Champ. Is that still your nickname?

Swayz, did you ever wrestle Chris Allen from Salina South?

Joe actually graduated in 98. He was a year younger than me... Swayz, how did that go by the way... When did you wrestle him?

Chris Allen.....that name sounds familar. I think I once saw him power down a Large Pizza in less then 15 min.

Guys I graduated in 1998 from Chapman so I'm the same age as Joe. I wrestled him in the semifinals of Sunflower State games I believe the summer of 1997. He major decisioned me 13-5 or something like that. He then wrestled Karnowski from Wamego in the Championships and that match went 1-0 or something and I believe Karnowski won.