The Goodland Star-News / Tuesday, July 4, 2006

Coach moving to Great Bend

Former wrestling coach Randy Bahe said Monday he always will be a Cowboy, but he is leaving his farm and moving to Great Bend to work as an insurance agent.

Bahe said he has been out of town training with Shelter Insurance for the past two weeks, and begins his new job on Wednesday. Bahe’s resignation as wrestling coach was accepted at a Goodland School Board meeting on June 19, and the board hired his assistant from last season, Joe Stramek, as the wrestling coach

“I hate to leave my lifetime home,” Bahe said, “but I have to make a living.”

Bahe, who has been farming west of the city, said he has not been able to make it work. He said his troubles had been compounded by the drought.

Bahe has coached the Cowboys wrestlers for five years, placing second two years, third two years and 10th one in the Class 4A state tournament.

“I hate to give up coaching,” he said. “That is something that has been near and dear to me. I wrote an e-mail to all my wrestlers telling that I was resigning. I told them I would always be a Cowboy and would be watching the team.”

Bahe said he had looked for an opportunity in the Goodland area but did not find one.

“I know I have made a lot of friends through the wrestling program,” he said. “There have been a lot of supportive people and we will miss that.”

Bahe said he is glad Stramek will take over the wrestling program.

“He will do a good job,” Bahe said. “He comes from a great wrestling program in high school and wrestled in college.

“He did a good job last year helping me, and I know he will do a good job with the program.”

Stramek was as a student teacher from Fort Hays State University for Dennis Stone at Goodland High last year. He will teach math besides being a coach this fall.