Congrats, starting safety on state champs Ankeny High School
Caleb Rathjen
- Thread starter zoe22
- Start date
He made several nice plays in the game.
Great to hear there are still kids playing multi sports out there.
Damn near that entire football team plays multiple sports.
Can you provide any stats on this, Birky? It would be quite a statement for multi sport athletes if the 4A State Championship team promoted being "athletes" and supporting the school in other sports, rather than specializing.
Off top of my head, might be more, some might run track
Caleb Rathjen Wrestling/Football Iowa Commit wrestling
Jace Bauer Football/Baseball
Brody Brecht Football/Baseball Iowa Football Commit playing baseball also
Cox Football/Baseball
Fulk Football/ baseball playing baseball Iowa
Crandall Football/Basketball
Outside Lb has 2 last names number 28/27 Football/ Baseball
Penttegroth(spelling) football / wrestling
Receiver Football/Basketball number 12 I think
Caleb Rathjen Wrestling/Football Iowa Commit wrestling
Jace Bauer Football/Baseball
Brody Brecht Football/Baseball Iowa Football Commit playing baseball also
Cox Football/Baseball
Fulk Football/ baseball playing baseball Iowa
Crandall Football/Basketball
Outside Lb has 2 last names number 28/27 Football/ Baseball
Penttegroth(spelling) football / wrestling
Receiver Football/Basketball number 12 I think
Quite frankly Caleb could have played any sport he wanted in college level besides maybe basketball.
Not sure on that. But his Mom and I coached the boys in soccer years ago and played all over the Midwest and he was always the best. We already know wrestling and football. And Jase Bauer’s parents said he was awesome at baseball. So maybe not all sports but a lot!
several of these guys are on the track team as well. Brecken Manus plays football and basketball. So does Simonsen. There are just as many back ups that play multiple sports as well.
Need to see more of this. Way too many wrestlers wrestle year round and don't participate in other varsity activities. I don't know how that changes without parents being better stewards of their children, but it is sure nice to see one of the top wrestlers in the state help win a title in a different sport.
I don't think that being a single sport athlete is bad in itself. The problem is putting too much emphasis and importance on sports in general. If someone only likes one sport, and really likes it, no need to do more.
It's also a problem to specialize at a young age, but by the time you get to highschool I don't see a problem with focusing on what you like and/or are good at.
That bodes well for his wrestling career when he concentrates on one sport.
I would agree. He obviously focused on wrestling but while some kids for example all fall were going to wrestling practice and tourneys he was starting for the State champ D at Ankeny in football. And playing quite awesome as well. Great kid from a great family so easy to root for.
He was named to the 2nd team all state team so he was one of many standouts on the team. He plays very physical which is similar to the way he wrestles.
Not direct no. Will be interesting to see what happens with the youngest boy. In talking to Kirk the youngest is considerably more advanced than Caleb at the same age. And that says a lot. But who knows.
There was an older brother named Cole that graduated a couple years ago. Super nice kid. State qualifier his senior year. Maybe he played football, but not that I remember?
I don’t think Calvin is quite the overall athlete that Caleb is/was at the same age, but he is in like 5th grade.🙂
He has probably been groomed a little more than Caleb at the same age? If ever a kid was built to wrestle, it is the youngest Rathjen. Obviously his dad would know more than I when comparing to the two.
As you said, great family.
Cole is a great kid. Working in DM. I am only basing Calvin on what Kirk told me. Pretty high standard. And yes, Calvin rolls with the best about every day. He will be a stud. Just my educated guess.
but the real question is if you actually got arland eligible lol i kid. kirk is a great guy. I am sure Calvin will be a beast. coming from the same school as Kirk.. I knew Caleb would fill out. Kirk wrestled in the 70s and was one of the best backs we ever had.
Arland Bruce doesn’t have much to do with this thread but he did help Ankeny win it all. I have always said, if I was in the proverbial alley and had to pick a guy on my side, Kirk would be on that short list. He is one tough SOB. And those kids are athletes. And give Ashley credit. She is awesome too.
the arland joke was mocking the football board. thanks for the insight on how the family is doing. good to hear how all is going.
boom - I know. Heard enough Arland. So I was pissy. Sorry. My bad. Thanks for the input. And yeah I do think Caleb will be good. Once again you need a wing man you take Kirk 7 days and twice Sunday. He doesn’t post but we had a deal in CR with a St Louis team. And a Grandma give us the bird. And all their fans were yelling at us, it got ugly and I was just happy Kirk was there.
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