Previous assistant coach takes over as head coach this season

Eli Wolk, Website Editor
December 1, 2015

After an average year for wrestling in 2014-15, the team turned to the leadership of assistant coach Jared Daniels for this upcoming season. Daniels, 32, is ready to step into his first head coaching job.

“Its really weird how all this came together,” Daniels said, referring to the process of becoming a coach after a long time away from the sport. “As of last year, when I came to help out, it was my first time being on a mat in 10 years.”

“The one thing people will at least say, is that we’re not the least conditioned team out there.” He firmly believes that the better conditioned player will be able to win in the third period, giving the team an advantage. Daniels also wants to get back to having fun and already has a tournament lined up at his old school in Lynden, Washington. “I’m hoping we can take back a team. I don’t want to go back to my high school where I wrestled with [just] three wrestlers,” Daniels said.

Daniels hopes to make the wrestling team a program with his time at the school, recruiting more players and starting with fundamentals to create building blocks for the future. He also wants to create a “Cub” team. “I don’t know what we’d call it here, whats a baby beaver… we were the lions so it was the ‘cub’ team.” The cub would be for middle schoolers who want to get training during summer camps. This would give younger kids experience so when they join the team as Freshmen, it isn’t their first time on the mat. Daniels also wants to put money into the program with fundraising.

Daniels coaching centers around his idea that the work you do in a wrestling room translates to success in the real world. “I always like to say, if you can make it through a wrestling room, you’re [going to] be fine when you graduate,” Daniels said. “A wrestling room is very disciplined, but at the same time we can have fun.”

“I missed wrestling,” said junior Charlie Nickerson, after not playing last season. “I really like this coach. I feel like there is a lot of potential.”

The first wrestling practice for this season is Monday, Nov.16, and paperwork is due on Dec. 1.