Jody Strittmatter Deserves Massive Recognition

[Is_there_vodka_in_heaven]

Strittmatter and Eric Juergens founded the Young Guns Wrestling Club a little over 10 years ago. Strittmatter ran the club out east and Juergens ran it in the mid west.

After a decade of hard work to create one of the best youth wrestling clubs in the nation, the former hawkeye Jody Strittmatter deserves massive props and thanks from Iowa fans for his work on getting these east coast recruits (and especially PA recruits) to come to the University of Iowa.

Just in the past couple of years we've gotten some BIG name recruits from his club:

Spencer Lee
Gavin Teasdale
Michael Kemerer
Kaleb Young

I have to imagine that he has had a really big influence on their decision to come to Iowa. What's even better is that he isn't a paid recruiter or directly affiliated with the University of Iowa anymore. Once a hawk, always a hawk!

 

[moug]

He certainly deserves tons of credit for the club, but has indicated repeatedly he stays far clear from steering recruits college decisions. He leaves that up to the athletes and their families.

 

[Sandor45]

Yes, good for him. But he gets no credit for Lee's or Teasdales decisions. he's totally hands off, as it should be.
But if you wanted to go that route, you could also thank Jody for building up Nolf, Mega, etc and sending them to psu

 

[Is_there_vodka_in_heaven]

He certainly deserves tons of credit for the club, but has indicated repeatedly he stays far clear from steering recruits college decisions. He leaves that up to the athletes and their families.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think he's actively participating in their decisions, but just having a former Hawkeye tell them what it's like and give stories of Gable has to be really influential.

He also brings a bunch of Young Guns to Iowa every year. I know they did it the year Iowa beat PSU in Carver and broke the attendance record (Kemerer was on this trip). They also did it last year at the Grapple at the Gridiron.

 

[Is_there_vodka_in_heaven]

Yes, good for him. But he gets no credit for Lee's or Teasdales decisions. he's totally hands off, as it should be.
But if you wanted to go that route, you could also thank Jody for building up Nolf, Mega, etc and sending them to psu

Iowa is getting an increasing number of Pennsylvania recruits. Nolf, Mega both went to their in state university which was also the best program in the country at the time. It's not a surprise that they'd go to PSU.

 

[jvclark]

After watching S Lee wrestle several matches over the past 30 minutes, I can actually see a lot of Jody in Spencer's style. Especially on top.

It's no doubt that the young guns club is producing top talent, the are doing an amazing job. I am just glad to see some of it coming WEST now.

 

[Czech Hawk]

I think he is so great for the sport and is doing wonderful with the youth. If he was pushing Iowa that would have came out, and I am glad he is not. Not that I do not want his guys, but it says more to his character and to that of an Iowa wrestler. He wants it to be their choice and what is best for them. Sure the fact that Jody is a former Hawkeye doesn't hurt one bit and does open doors for his wrestlers to want to be like one of their coaches and wrestle for the best program!!

 

[TS568]

After watching S Lee wrestle several matches over the past 30 minutes, I can actually see a lot of Jody in Spencer's style. Especially on top.

It's no doubt that the young guns club is producing top talent, the are doing an amazing job. I am just glad to see some of it coming WEST now.

I love what Lee does from top and hope it continues at Iowa. That hasn't been our strength lately to say the least.

 

[KidNittany]

Strittmatter and Eric Juergens founded the Young Guns Wrestling Club a little over 10 years ago. Strittmatter ran the club out east and Juergens ran it in the mid west.

After a decade of hard work to create one of the best youth wrestling clubs in the nation, the former hawkeye Jody Strittmatter deserves massive props and thanks from Iowa fans for his work on getting these east coast recruits (and especially PA recruits) to come to the University of Iowa.

Just in the past couple of years we've gotten some BIG name recruits from his club:

Spencer Lee
Gavin Teasdale
Michael Kemerer
Kaleb Young

I have to imagine that he has had a really big influence on their decision to come to Iowa. What's even better is that he isn't a paid recruiter or directly affiliated with the University of Iowa anymore. Once a hawk, always a hawk!

Just curious, are you one of the ones that complains about Willie supposedly recruiting for PSU?

 

[championhawk]

Kemdawgs experience with the coaches and program had more influence than Jody. Jody deserves a lot of credit for the studs he is producing. It's a win win for everyone.

 

[Is_there_vodka_in_heaven]

Just curious, are you one of the ones that complains about Willie supposedly recruiting for PSU?

Never said a word about Willie, why do you ask?

 

[KidNittany]

Never said a word about Willie, why do you ask?

Just seems to be a popular theme that PSU is getting outside help is all. Glad to hear you have not succumbed to that line of thought

 

[whejoe]

I'd like to thank Young for popping the cherry on Young Guns guys committing to Iowa.

 

[WildTurk]

Didn't take long for our Rivals to call foul on Iowa with the Stritmatter/Young guns connection. Figures! Lol #messageBoardLife

 

[WWDMHawkeye]

I love what Lee does from top and hope it continues at Iowa. That hasn't been our strength lately to say the least.

Mejia is an absolute animal on top, too. We've got a bunch of tough riders coming in.

 

[artradley]

Just seems to be a popular theme that PSU is getting outside help is all. Glad to hear you have not succumbed to that line of thought

I'm not one who thinks Willie pushes kids away from Iowa, but I would think there is a pretty big difference between the actions of a supposed journalist versus those of a guy who runs a wrestling club.

 

[McCulloughd]

Just curious, are you one of the ones that complains about Willie supposedly recruiting for PSU?

Curiosity killed the cat.

 

[Neo_Hawk]

I would much rather this thread be about what a great job our former hawks are doing in the wrestling world in general. Strittmatter and Juergens would not be very effective mentors and coaches if they were trying to influence their students one way or another and their track record, and comments from wrestlers seem to disprove this.

So let's talk about the caliber of wrestlers their club is producing. I know a lot of good wrestlers come out of Western PA but something special is going on in that club for this many top level kids to be coming out. Two former Hawks return home and create a program with this kind of success? What an amazing accomplishment. I am always proud and supportive of former hawks finding success in wrestling after college, whether that be as a head coach or assistant coach with another team (except for dresser b/c he's a turn coat) or starting their own program, teaching the next generation. GO HAWKS!!

 

[24 so far]

I'm not one who thinks Willie pushes kids away from Iowa, but I would think there is a pretty big difference between the actions of a supposed journalist versus those of a guy who runs a wrestling club.

In the multiple interviews I've seen with Strittmatter, he comes across as a guy that knows his business depends largely on him being somewhat independent on steering his kids to X University (must be the education he received at Iowa!). Of course the size of his club would also dictate that not all those kids can go to the same school in college.

He seems to really like where he is in life, locale, close to family, etc., so it behooves him to keep doing what he's been doing and let the chips fall where they may in regards to where his club kids end up in College. For all I know he may be a huge Penn State homer, have no idea.

His business is to make these kids better wrestlers and good citizens in the process, but ultimately what happens in the end, is largely up to the kids and their families. Some of these kids careers out of Young Guns won't go as planned, and Strittmatter remaining "neutral" in where they end up will keep him out of the finger pointing debate when that happens. Very smart on his part, IMO.

I have little doubt that his time at Iowa doesn't hurt from an Iowa perspective, certainly gives us an "in" for sure (and Juergens seems to be a factor as well, not sure of his current involvement). But the fact of the matter is, Iowa in spite of it's recent NCAA placements, is still very much a destination nationally. If it's a wrestling club with a bunch of kids with DI aspirations, no matter where it is in the country, Iowa is certainly going to come up in the conversation. That isn't changing anytime soon. Gotta get more impact kids is all. Trending in the right direction.

 

[Azchief32]

Yea...Stritmatters are great coaches who have found their niche in what is probably a fairly lucrative area of wrestling...at least I hope so. Excellence should be rewarded.

I could see old college stories getting told but he has too many parents that are Pitt or PSU fans for him to steer anybody to Iowa. If word got out, it would be bad for business...especially if Cael found out. Besides, there are three guys at PSU that say differently.

 

[MVPFAN]

Just seems to be a popular theme that PSU is getting outside help is all. Glad to hear you have not succumbed to that line of thought

For some reason I was think "KidNittany" was the handle for willie or at least another guy in the wrestling business.

 

[Is_there_vodka_in_heaven]

Yea...Stritmatters are great coaches who have found their niche in what is probably a fairly lucrative area of wrestling...at least I hope so. Excellence should be rewarded.

I could see old college stories getting told but he has too many parents that are Pitt or PSU fans for him to steer anybody to Iowa. If word got out, it would be bad for business...especially if Cael found out. Besides, there are three guys at PSU that say differently.

I don't think many of these Pennsylvania kids would've been at Carver when Iowa upset PSU in 2013 in front of a record breaking crowd if it weren't for Strittmatter. I also don't think they would've been at Grapple at the Gridiron without him. As I said before, I know Strittmatter isn't actively involved in any of these kids decisions, but having an ex hawk located in PSU and bringing them to Hawkeye meets in Iowa City is huge for recruiting.

Kids in his club wrestling at PSU is really not shocking. That's their home state university and also happens to be the best program in the past decade.

 

[WWDMHawkeye]

I don't think many of these Pennsylvania kids would've been at Carver when Iowa upset PSU in 2013 in front of a record breaking crowd if it weren't for Strittmatter. I also don't think they would've been at Grapple at the Gridiron without him. As I said before, I know Strittmatter isn't actively involved in any of these kids decisions, but having an ex hawk located in PSU and bringing them to Hawkeye meets in Iowa City is huge for recruiting.

Kids in his club wrestling at PSU is really not shocking. That's their home state university and also happens to be the best program in the past decade.

You do make a good point, vodka. Your typical PSU-leaning club coach in PA isn't likely to go out of his way to expose his kids to events in Iowa. Although I do think Jody does a great job of remaining neutral, his Iowa history and connections do help to promote more exposure to Iowa wrestling, which I think is good for the kids and, conveniently, great for the Hawks.

 

[artradley]

You do make a good point, vodka. Your typical PSU-leaning club coach in PA isn't likely to go out of his way to expose his kids to events in Iowa. Although I do think Jody does a great job of remaining neutral, his Iowa history and connections do help to promote more exposure to Iowa wrestling, which I think is good for the kids and, conveniently, great for the Hawks.

I did like that Willie and Christian were all over the notion that Jody was pushing kids towards Iowa -- saying people had no idea how much integrity he had, and how he remains completely neutral on prospective schools. That said, just being there promotes Iowa, even if it's passive.

 

[hawkssox1]

Strittmatter and Eric Juergens founded the Young Guns Wrestling Club a little over 10 years ago. Strittmatter ran the club out east and Juergens ran it in the mid west.

After a decade of hard work to create one of the best youth wrestling clubs in the nation, the former hawkeye Jody Strittmatter deserves massive props and thanks from Iowa fans for his work on getting these east coast recruits (and especially PA recruits) to come to the University of Iowa.

Just in the past couple of years we've gotten some BIG name recruits from his club:

Spencer Lee
Gavin Teasdale
Michael Kemerer
Kaleb Young

I have to imagine that he has had a really big influence on their decision to come to Iowa. What's even better is that he isn't a paid recruiter or directly affiliated with the University of Iowa anymore. Once a hawk, always a hawk!

My understanding is that he does not push his wrestlers one direction or another as it should be.

 

[TNTwrestle]

I told him at the B1G tournament to nudge a few of his best kids in our direction,and he said he stays completely out of their decisions, which is what I would expect of a class act like Jody. He and his family are great people. I got to know John quite a bit when Jody was at Iowa, and we keep in touch with the family. I hope we get more of the top Young Guns, but I won't count on him to persuade them.

 

[Is_there_vodka_in_heaven]

Many people are missing the point. Strittmatters indirect influence has been very big. Being a former hawk in Pennsylvania and bringing them to major wrestling events in IC such as grapple at the gridiron and the carver psu dual in 2013. And for he to be a source they know they can trust regarding negative recruiting against Iowa.

Ofc he's didn't establish the club with the intention of recruiting a bunch of Hawkeyes since a young age, but that has ended up being the outcome the past several years now.

 

[wasdt21]

just him being the man that he is, would be enough of a clue that iowa is a good place to be.

 

[Azchief32]

 

[Needanap]

View embedded media

This never gets old Chief

 

[SansSouci]

Have you ever noticed, I'm sure most have, that when he has his double or even on a single he always crosses the far leg even before they hit the mat to set up his vicious leg lace? He's going to be a freestyle god, and of course a four time ncaa champ. Hard to set up a turk in folk with that though. TIC

 

[Azchief32]

Have you ever noticed, I'm sure most have, that when he has his double or even on a single he always crosses the far leg even before they hit the mat to set up his vicious leg lace? He's going to be a freestyle god, and of course a four time ncaa champ. Hard to set up a turk in folk with that though. TIC

Very good chain wrestler. In folk he switches to coming down trying trap and arm for 2 on t to a tilt. His top wrestling is extremely good...something we need

 

[SansSouci]

Yeah, a whole lot of trap arm for backs. He won't get those arms like that at the next level or be able to dig them out from top position. He'll get his takedowns from offense or defense though. Spencer and Gavin are masters with wizzer/overhook and limp leg for their defensive advantage.

And I love Gavin's low singles.