Grew up in South East Iowa. Started wrestling in 5th grade. The high school team always did a 1 week clinic after school in the spring at the grade school. The high school varsity wrestlers were looked up to by everyone. Placed at state my junior year and was a two time DIII All American. Made some absolutely great friends through the sport and still keep in contact with a decent number of guys I wrestled with in college. To many funny stories to tell. The earlier mention of Coach Seigal from Morning Sun reminded me of this one. After the sectional tournament some of the conference schools would practice together. It was a chance to get good competition for the guys who were still wrestling. Seigal was running part of a particular practice. 30 second goes and every guy on bottom had to score or we would keep going. There were egos involved. No one wanted the guy from another team to score on them. We just kept going. You would switch each time with the guy you were paired up with. After a while you were encouraging the guy on bottom to work hard and get out. A few times there would only be one or two guys not score and everyone is starting to get ticked off. Not sure how long we went at it (seemed like forever) with Coach Seigal yelling in his big booming voice. Finally, he yells " Nobody loves me. I have no where to go. We can stay her all night! It only took a couple more and all the sudden everyone on bottom escapes. It dawned everyone that he meant it and we were all so tired that we were looking for ways to let the guy go without looking like we were letting them go. I have had coaches tell me kids are different now. We were mostly farm kids and hard work wasn't a big deal. The varsity wrestlers were the heros of the school and we would get pretty good crowds for every meet. Worked my tail off and was so happy when I got the jacket with my weight on the front that the starters got. I was blessed to have coaches in high school and college that were wonderful human beings, guys that I still have the utmost respect for decades later. To those of you on here that coach I would like to say thank you for what you do. I tried to get my son to wrestle and it just didn't stick. He has turned into a decent swimmer. I think it would have been harder to watch him wrestle in high school than it was for me to wrestle.
What is everybody's wrestling experience?
- Thread starter artradley
- Start date
Was it in 1969? If so, I was there and it was Oklahoma because I remember Mike Grant and Cleo Kilgore. ISU had Gable, Jason Smith, and Chuck Jean. It was an awesome event.
That was the year for me too. I saw Gable at the Armory in Ames and West Waterloo's Rich Binek in Cedar Falls. Binek is still the best high school wrestler I've ever seen - he was a junior world champ before he won state his senior year. Those that never saw him wrestle really missed a lot.
Here's Binek's acceptance speech at his induction into the Glenn Brand Hall of Fame - what nice, humble person -
Never wrestled a match in my life - I was a basketball player. But I grew up in Osage and that pretty much says it all.
Growing up in Osage, I started wrestling in the 3rd grade and continued throughout high school. Was slightly above a .500 wrestler, but loved the sport. It has taught me the skills needed to be successful in life. Now I officiate to give back to the sport that gave me so much.
I've really enjoyed this thread and glad it really took off.
I've really enjoyed this thread and glad it really took off.
I like how you're telling me "you're old as hell." Previously in this thread you said you wrestled when you were "36 maybe." You're obviously much older than that if you can't even remember and i am 31. I know its a complicated concept but try not to rack your brain with this next part: 36>31
Dude - you know that I respected what you did back in the day. I do remember the TnT boys at the meets. Actually more so of their antics at the body shop one time (I needed car body shop work from their uncle? - He was sure they were gonna be great - when they were 8ish)
FWIW - Mike S was the guy that rode in the ambulance with me to the Hospital in E-ville the last game of our SR year of football.
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Funny what we remember.....
Our junior season before the dual in Storm Lake, Coach N told us that if we were going to get penalized for anything, he wanted it to be for roughness.
I had a rematch with the beanpole who beat me the year before when I was wrestling up a weight. He must have thought I was going to be easy pickings as he shot for a single seconds into the match. But I sunk in a wizard and cross face pancaked him to his back. Nelson bellowed “That’s what I want to see!” before we hit the mat. LOL The kid played like he was knocked out so I shook him around like he was struggling to escape. The SL crowd went crazy with boos. I swear to Baby Jesus that the only cheering I heard coming from the stands was from the two little Brands hellions. And that was when I realized they were catching ALL of our duals.
Our junior season before the dual in Storm Lake, Coach N told us that if we were going to get penalized for anything, he wanted it to be for roughness.
I had a rematch with the beanpole who beat me the year before when I was wrestling up a weight. He must have thought I was going to be easy pickings as he shot for a single seconds into the match. But I sunk in a wizard and cross face pancaked him to his back. Nelson bellowed “That’s what I want to see!” before we hit the mat. LOL The kid played like he was knocked out so I shook him around like he was struggling to escape. The SL crowd went crazy with boos. I swear to Baby Jesus that the only cheering I heard coming from the stands was from the two little Brands hellions. And that was when I realized they were catching ALL of our duals.
Oh, haha. I just thought you were old by your lame ass "get of my yard" postings. It still wouldn't be fair, tough guy. We'll work it out if you need an adjustment, little man.
Beanpole is derogatory towards my oldest son, man. Mother's genetics.
Don't underestimate the twigs, especially on top. I order his HGH and we got a letter from tOSU a week later.
LOL No offense meant. The kid was a lot taller than me and he used his length and weight advantage the year before to hand me a loss.
I liked Tarpley’s blog. Great stuff
Don't remember if I've asked you before, but your poster name (SalAunese) caught my eye - do you have a connection to Colorado? I was there (still am) when he died and the football team had those great years. Was emotional losing Sal, but it sure seemed like it motivated the team even more.
I have no idea who that is. Any relation to Perez Perez??
He’s a former Iowa football player. Is son, A.J. was a 5 star recruit, plays for the Hawkeye football team.
Yes, I was also there in '67 only to watch my classmate wrestle in the finals. Started following wrestling a few years earlier around '63 and have enjoyed it ever since. In '66 the buzz was all about this undefeated wrestler a few miles down the road in Waterloo. That same year I was fortunate to see Dan wrestle at Districts his Senior year which included our school and I still have a few wrestling programs from those tournaments.
Sounds like you might be a year behind me. '82 grad, wrestled as did my little brother. Still friends with Murph to this day!
Matt's older brother Kurt was even taller than Matt, he was a '81 grad. Matt and I roomed at state his junior year. I was our 119 ponder. I didn't get much space in that room!
Started wrestling in 3rd grade in 1976; wrestled Varsity parts of 3 seasons at Valley; placed districts twice and qualified Sr year. Placed 4th at Super heavyweight, weighing 230lbs; toughest opponent Jeff Koeppel same district, 2 time champ and All Big Ten DT for Iowa. Biggest win Chris Stogdill at state tournament, won state as a senior I believe. Wrestled one year in college; division II NAIA qualified for nationals finished top 16. Tore rotator cuff and never wrestled competitively. Volunteered for awhile.
Never wrestled before sophomore year in HS, made varsity SR year, finished 5th in sectionals (but with a 15-14 overall record, I'm a winner baby)...
my HS coach encouraged me to get authorized in coaching to come back and help the next few years while in college (in which we won the conference for the 1st time ever in the history of the program, back-to-back years) a couple of state qualifiers here and there, but it definitely hooked me with the sport for life....
After graduating college, got the first teaching job and a new school to coach with as an assistant JH coach, that segued into my 1st ever HC where I was able to help a young man achieve his goal of qualifying for the state tournament....however, the family grew, and the time commitment became too much so I stepped away from coaching....
which then lead to the opportunity to start working at the greatest state wrestling tournament in the nation, which has been going on 6 years now, my son is now getting closer to MS, so maybe I will find a way to coach again, but we're doing well with our Hawkeye season tix, and a 4 day commitment to Des Moines (that my loving wife agrees to be a single parent for the better part of 4 days)...
certainly not as glamorous as some, but I wouldn't change it for anything....
my HS coach encouraged me to get authorized in coaching to come back and help the next few years while in college (in which we won the conference for the 1st time ever in the history of the program, back-to-back years) a couple of state qualifiers here and there, but it definitely hooked me with the sport for life....
After graduating college, got the first teaching job and a new school to coach with as an assistant JH coach, that segued into my 1st ever HC where I was able to help a young man achieve his goal of qualifying for the state tournament....however, the family grew, and the time commitment became too much so I stepped away from coaching....
which then lead to the opportunity to start working at the greatest state wrestling tournament in the nation, which has been going on 6 years now, my son is now getting closer to MS, so maybe I will find a way to coach again, but we're doing well with our Hawkeye season tix, and a 4 day commitment to Des Moines (that my loving wife agrees to be a single parent for the better part of 4 days)...
certainly not as glamorous as some, but I wouldn't change it for anything....
Hockey player from around first grade til between my Sophomore/ Junior years in high school, 1965. My brother was good friends with the wrestling team captain. They together convinced me I should give Wrestling a shot as the team didn’t have a 103 pounder. Never wrestled a minute in my life but I was always willing to help out. I had 2 weeks of practice and that was primarily practicing bridging. Never occurred to me why. My first and only varsity match I spent 6 minutes using my newly acquired bridging technique. I think I damaged me eyes looking at the lights so long. But the guy couldn’t pin me and we ended up winning the dual by one point. After the match my coach told me the guy I wrestled way the defending state champ. I never returned to hockey and have been a wrestling fan ever since. Traveled around the country following the Gophers. Enjoy watching just about anything wrestling.
I got decked by Lincoln McIlravy in front of a packed house at Carver! It was quite an experience just to be there.
Joe was my best friend in high school. He was here for state but I didn't make it to Des Moines to see him.
Never wrestled I was a basketball player. Had a good friend who was a youth wrestling coach. My son decided to try it in 4th grade. I don't think he won a match until he was in 6th grade, in 8th grade they needed someone on varsity two weights up from his weight he stepped in and started varsity from 8th thru his senior year. His senior year he ended up going to state. I had never been around wrestling but once my son started wrestling in 4th grade I learned wrestling in a community is like being part of an extended family. Wrestling families are great people and I always loved the fact that the older kids in wrestling look after the younger ones and are very willing to help teach the younger kids. Got hooked on wrestling from then on. Great sport and great people involved
Started wrestling in Jr High. My high school coach was a collegiate wrestler at Cal St Fullerton. He started showing us old Iowa wrestling videos and told us that we couldn’t control the level of athleticism we were born with, but we can control how mentally tough we are and how hard we work. He said that’s what these guys do. That stuck with me and I’ve been a Hawk fan ever since. MMA is huge is southern Cali and unfortunately wrestling isn’t. I transitioned to submission wrestling/ Jui-Jitsu to fill the void. I happened to find a school with some former Hawks running the show( Rico Chiaparelli and Chad Zaputil). These threads fill the void in 3 dual loss seasons. Thanks Art
Two great Hawks there. Congrats to Chad on his induction into the iowa high school wrestling hall of fame this past wkend. Much deserved!
So I weighed about 195lbs. At the time I was 25-26 years old and Chad weighed about 140-145lbs. I went takedowns with him over and over again just trying to get one. I never did, Zap is a straight up stud. Head hands defense for days and mean as hell. Rico on the other hand was smooth as silk and flows like water.
I once took Marty Kistler to his back now granted a 5 mile per hour wind probably would have also knocked him over as drunk as he was but that is my claim to wrestling
Wrestled on and off all through elementary. We had a small youth program up here in NW Iowa that had practice 1 night a week, I was more interested in going for the social part and to play the games at the end. My youth coach was also the middle school coach and assistant high school coach. Huge Hawkeye fan and so that is where my passion for them started. Wrestled all the way through high school, as well as played football and ran track. Never really took wrestling seriously because I always thought I "hated" it. Beginning of senior year hit me and realized that it was my last go around at it. Put together a pretty good year, but had two other really good kids in my sectional. Remembered getting beat out and being mad and bitter, throwing my shoes saying I was never going to step foot in a practice room ever again. Went on and played football in college not to far away from my hometown. Went to school to be a teacher and a coach. As a sophomore in college, my former wrestling coach, knowing that I wanted to get into coaching, called me and asked if I were interested in helping him coach wrestling once the football season was over. Was the best decision I have ever made in my life. I have been an assistant coach for 10 years now and love the sport and what it does for middle school and high school kids. I still coach with the same coaches that I had in High School and we have a blast. We started going to the NCAA Championships in Des Moines together as a coaching staff and haven't missed since. I live with the regret of wishing I would have taken the sport a little more serious than what I did every time I step into a practice room.
Side Note: Next year, I will be coaching against Chiefs nephew on the other side of the county....I will vouch for him when he says they are tough. Good kids.
Side Note: Next year, I will be coaching against Chiefs nephew on the other side of the county....I will vouch for him when he says they are tough. Good kids.
Similarly, I had to use wrestling skills to fight some men off. Otherwise, there wasn’t girls’ wrestling way back in the olden days. Got hooked after the first Hawkeye meet I attended in college.
Went out for wrestling as a freshman, so already behind the curve for the area talent starting much earlier. Was an underfed kid, no lunches etc.... but was strong from football. Lost half the first half of the season matches. Called for pinning myself when had a kid in a cradle, kinds of crap. Beat the kids second half of the season I lost to in the first half. 26 takedowns for, none against and placed fourth in first tournament and 3rd at the Bettendorf tourney.. so placed only in two tournaments in.... Focused only on football in soph and jr years ( was homeless part of the time too). Went out for wrestling senior year... beat the guy that won districts season before and he was dropping weight to wrestle lower... when became homeless again, so I graduated early in december and went in the service instead.... not much accomplished, but love the sport....
My Iowa hs was considering adding wrestling, so it was being pushed in Phys Ed classes. Being a 99-pound 9th grader, I was getting pummeled. So they brought in a similar weight 7th grader!! Who almost ripped my arm off. I became a cross country runner that day.
Wrestled 4th grade through high school. Officiated a lot of Freestyle and Greco, Regret I ever stopped. I really enjoyed it. Went to a Gable camp at Marquette university I think it was 1973 or 1974. Always followed wrestling. I do not watch tv but read forums a lot. Grew up and live in MN. As time (decades) goes on I respect Iowa wrestling more and more. TNT are going to be just fine. I have always lurked. This thread got me off the bench. Fun reading.
