Chasing Down A Youth State Championship---Part Two
The Stage Has Been Set
Enter Tom Roehlig. After Nicky's last season with the N. Royalton program I decided to have Nick attend some Summer wrestling camps to further his technique. I jumped on the internet and came across Tom Roehligs wrestling camp. After exchanging some e-mails and lengthy phone conversations I decided that Tom was a solid individual...not just for what he could offer Nicky in terms of wrestling instruction...but in many other ways also.
Tom currently owns a Cross Fit gym in Massillon Ohio. He's what I consider a man who not only talks the talk, but walks the walk. He was a high school multi-State Placer himself and a former Ohio State wrestler. He started training youth wrestlers in the Massilon/Carrolton area and had great results with many of the boys down there. Two of his former long time Roehlig Wrestling Club members, Tom Straughn and Ivan McClay, not only went on to become high school State Champions, but NCAA Division 2 National Champions at the Division 2 powerhouse program Notre Dame.
Tom taught Nick (and I) a lot about core strength training and so many other things I couldn't even begin to put them all down in this blog post. Suffice it to say that Nicky and I developed a great friendship with Tom. Nick attended his camps every Summer and was in his Fall Clubs as well. Even in Nicky's high school years Tom proved to be a valuable resource that I could depend on for timely advice...whenever I called he made himself available and we took advantage of his Sports Performance training knowledge also. While I have a fairly deep knowledge of strength training myself, it would be fair to say that Tom more than filled in the gaps that I needed when training Nick at home. And yes that's Olympian Harry Lester who was giving a clinic at one of Tom's camps. Nicky was so excited to meet him.
So now the stage was set. The actors were in place. It was just a matter of time we felt. As long as Nicky kept working hard and kept a great attitude it was only a matter of time before he won a Youth State championship. So that's what he did with us (Mom & Dad & coaches) all supporting him and trying to position him for it to happen. But still, not at the expense of having fun! Here's a picture of one of Nicky, Kevin, & Alex after trick or treating one Halloween. What a haul huh? I tried to tell them that a wrestling mat is not supposed to be used in such a way!
So Nicky had a terrific year in 4th grade. He won a lot of tournaments and continued to make progress in his wrestling. The year prior, when he was still wrestling for N. Royalton, he won his Sectionals wrestling at 67 lbs. but failed to get out of Districts losing to 6-4 to Kenston's Mason Daugherty and 4-1 to Cuyahoga Hts. wrestler Nick Orr. This year he won Sectionals again by beating his former teammate Paul Petras 2-0. Petras returned the favor the following week defeating Nicky 6-0 at Districts...but he qualified for the OYWA State Championships and we were very optimistic.
He wrestled tough at his first States at 73 lbs.! Came out on fire and avenged his last years District loss to Mason Daughtry by defeating him 9-0! Hit him with two nasty twisters! A close friend of mine, Gary Gottschalk, told me that Mason's dad said to him: "Who is that kid? He's got the best hips I ever seen!" A year can make a big difference in wrestling. Unfortunately, due to a very controversial ref call, Nicky lost his next match to Massillon's Jake Donahue 2-0. Won his next match against Tuskeegee Valley's Leland Hostetler 11-4 but failed to place losing to Jackson Purple's Kelan McKenna.
Although he failed to place, we were very pleased by his performance and looked forward to his first OAC District tournament. He ended up placing third there, losing to another boy that he wrestled several times, Jaret Williamson. Jaret pinned him there and it was the first time I really saw Nicky upset about a match. It was the only time Jaret had beat him and he didn't like it one bit. Jaret was a solid wrestler though and a good kid...but that didn't matter to Nicky!
At OAC States he wrestled great again, but fell short. After wining his first three matches he lost to Team Myron's Ryan Thomas who went on to become the eventual champion. The next time Nick would see him would be in their senior year of high school. Nicky lost his next match in overtime 2-0...to Westshore's Garrett Lambert...a future high school teammate...who was coached by our friend Mike Heil. So that was it for his 4th grade season.
Season Four Record: (54-13) Pins/Techs: (28)
My next post will cover his 5th & 6th grade years as they were pivotal in that a few key figures entered into the scene and moves were made that I feel positioned Nick perfectly for success. Hope you're enjoying reading this as much as dear old dad does writing it! Here's a few more general pictures of Nicky.
And of course a video of him in action...this is a match between him and the always tough and dangerous Cody Surratt out of Wadsworth. These two wrestled each other a lot growing up and a few times in high school. Cody is as tough as they come,,,and as tough as he...is he's even a greater kid. Well a young man now. Cody will be wrestling for the Air Force in the Big 12 next year.
Here's a picture of Cody and another of Nick's wrestling friends and training partner, 2X State Champ James Handwerk out of Lutheran West, meeting with the Congressman who endorsed them to be accepted into the Academy. Two fine young men. They both are on the ends, Cody has his suit jacket on.
And here's that video of Nick and Cody wrestling each other in an OAC District tourney.
Tom taught Nick (and I) a lot about core strength training and so many other things I couldn't even begin to put them all down in this blog post. Suffice it to say that Nicky and I developed a great friendship with Tom. Nick attended his camps every Summer and was in his Fall Clubs as well. Even in Nicky's high school years Tom proved to be a valuable resource that I could depend on for timely advice...whenever I called he made himself available and we took advantage of his Sports Performance training knowledge also. While I have a fairly deep knowledge of strength training myself, it would be fair to say that Tom more than filled in the gaps that I needed when training Nick at home. And yes that's Olympian Harry Lester who was giving a clinic at one of Tom's camps. Nicky was so excited to meet him.
So now the stage was set. The actors were in place. It was just a matter of time we felt. As long as Nicky kept working hard and kept a great attitude it was only a matter of time before he won a Youth State championship. So that's what he did with us (Mom & Dad & coaches) all supporting him and trying to position him for it to happen. But still, not at the expense of having fun! Here's a picture of one of Nicky, Kevin, & Alex after trick or treating one Halloween. What a haul huh? I tried to tell them that a wrestling mat is not supposed to be used in such a way!
So Nicky had a terrific year in 4th grade. He won a lot of tournaments and continued to make progress in his wrestling. The year prior, when he was still wrestling for N. Royalton, he won his Sectionals wrestling at 67 lbs. but failed to get out of Districts losing to 6-4 to Kenston's Mason Daugherty and 4-1 to Cuyahoga Hts. wrestler Nick Orr. This year he won Sectionals again by beating his former teammate Paul Petras 2-0. Petras returned the favor the following week defeating Nicky 6-0 at Districts...but he qualified for the OYWA State Championships and we were very optimistic.
He wrestled tough at his first States at 73 lbs.! Came out on fire and avenged his last years District loss to Mason Daughtry by defeating him 9-0! Hit him with two nasty twisters! A close friend of mine, Gary Gottschalk, told me that Mason's dad said to him: "Who is that kid? He's got the best hips I ever seen!" A year can make a big difference in wrestling. Unfortunately, due to a very controversial ref call, Nicky lost his next match to Massillon's Jake Donahue 2-0. Won his next match against Tuskeegee Valley's Leland Hostetler 11-4 but failed to place losing to Jackson Purple's Kelan McKenna.
Although he failed to place, we were very pleased by his performance and looked forward to his first OAC District tournament. He ended up placing third there, losing to another boy that he wrestled several times, Jaret Williamson. Jaret pinned him there and it was the first time I really saw Nicky upset about a match. It was the only time Jaret had beat him and he didn't like it one bit. Jaret was a solid wrestler though and a good kid...but that didn't matter to Nicky!
At OAC States he wrestled great again, but fell short. After wining his first three matches he lost to Team Myron's Ryan Thomas who went on to become the eventual champion. The next time Nick would see him would be in their senior year of high school. Nicky lost his next match in overtime 2-0...to Westshore's Garrett Lambert...a future high school teammate...who was coached by our friend Mike Heil. So that was it for his 4th grade season.
Season Four Record: (54-13) Pins/Techs: (28)
My next post will cover his 5th & 6th grade years as they were pivotal in that a few key figures entered into the scene and moves were made that I feel positioned Nick perfectly for success. Hope you're enjoying reading this as much as dear old dad does writing it! Here's a few more general pictures of Nicky.
And of course a video of him in action...this is a match between him and the always tough and dangerous Cody Surratt out of Wadsworth. These two wrestled each other a lot growing up and a few times in high school. Cody is as tough as they come,,,and as tough as he...is he's even a greater kid. Well a young man now. Cody will be wrestling for the Air Force in the Big 12 next year.
Here's a picture of Cody and another of Nick's wrestling friends and training partner, 2X State Champ James Handwerk out of Lutheran West, meeting with the Congressman who endorsed them to be accepted into the Academy. Two fine young men. They both are on the ends, Cody has his suit jacket on.
And here's that video of Nick and Cody wrestling each other in an OAC District tourney.
