Season 09-10 Approaches

Exciting things are happening as the team is preparing for the upcoming season. Our practice structure has been modified and improved. We continue to practice before school, however our athletic period is now in the 3rd period of the day. The primary focus of this time will be leadership/character training. However on Monday we have team meetings and film sessions, and Tuesday and Thursday we conduct a study hall in the school library.

The schedule has been finalized and it is great to see tough competitions, as we are constantly looking to improve.

11/5/2009 (6:00 p.m.)
Intersquad
Wylie HS Aux Gym
11/7/2009 (10:00 a.m.)
St. Marks Scrimmage
St. Marks School of Texas
11/10/2009 (6:00 p.m.)
Lake Highlands Dual
Lake Highlands HS
11/14/2009 (10:00 am)
Mustang Invitational
JJ Pearce HS
11/19/2009 (6:00 pm)
FM Marcus/Weatherford Tri
Wylie HS Aux Gym
11/21/2009 (10:00 am)
Texas Toughman Tournament
Bishop Lynch HS
11/23/2009 (10:00 am)
Lovejoy Round Robin
Lovejoy HS
11/24/2009 (3:00 p.m.)
Berkner Dual
Berkner HS
12/1/2009 (6:00 p.m.)
Allen Dual
Lowery Freshman Center
12/5/2009 (9:00 a.m.)
Rumble at the Rock Tournament
Rockwall HS
12/8/2009 (5:30 pm)
Highland Park/Jesuit Tri
Dallas Jesuit CP
12/12/2009 (9:00 a.m.)
The Original Lone Star Duals
St. Marks School of Texas
12/17/2009 (6:00 p.m.)
Frisco Dual
Frisco HS
12/19/2009 (10:00 am)
Wylie Invitational
Wylie HS - Both Gyms
Wylie Round Robin
Wylie HS - Both Gyms
1/5/2010 (6:00 p.m.)
Richardson Dual
Richardson HS
1/8/2010 (3:00 pm)
Cy Fair ISD Invitational Tournament
Cypress, TX
1/9/2010 (9:00 a.m.)
Cy Fair ISD Invitational Tournament
Cypress, TX
1/15/2010 (6:00 p.m.)
Springtown/Haltom Tri
Wylie HS Aux Gym
1/16/2010 (9:00 a.m.)
Doghouse Duals
McKinney North HS
1/21/2010 (6:00 p.m.)
Plano Sr./First Baptist Academy Tri
Wylie HS Aux Gym
1/23/2010 (9:00 a.m.)
Eastside Tournament
Plano East Sr. HS
1/28/2010 (6:30 p.m.)
JJ Pearce Dual
JJ Pearce HS
1/30/2010 (9:00 a.m.)
Frisco Centennial Quad
Frisco Centennial HS
2/6/2010 (9:00 a.m.)
District 18 Tournament
Berkner HS
2/12/2010 (9:00 a.m.)
Region 3 Tournament
Allen HS
2/13/2010 (9:00 a.m.)
Region 3 Tournament
Allen HS
2/26/2010 (9:00 a.m.)
UIL State Tournament
Delco Center - Austin, TX
2/27/2010 (9:00 a.m.)
UIL State Tournament
Delco Center - Austin, TX

Will blog again later- much love.

Freestyle schedule posted

2009 North Texas Freestyle and Greco Schedule

April 4th -Coppell Spring Jam-FS/GR
April 11th-Frisco HS- “Peter Courcy Memorial”-FS Only
April 18th-Arlington HS - Tentative
April 25th-Redhawk – Liberty HS-FS Only
May 2nd- The Colony-FS/GR
May 9th- McKinney Mat Rats @ Old Settlers Rec. Center -FS/GR
May 16th-Coppell Spring Slam-FS/GR
May 22nd&23rd-TXUSA State – The Woodlands
June 11-13th- Southern Plains Region in Hays, KS (Boys Only)

For the local tournaments, medals are awarded for the top 3 placers in every division. Weigh-ins are from 8:00-9:00am. Wrestling begins at 10:00am. Entry fee is $12.00 for one style and $20.00 for both. 2009 USA Wrestling cards are required. If you do not already have a card, it MUST be purchased online prior to the event.

The State Championships and the Southern Plains Region will have a different time schedule.

The proverbial 'dust' is now settling

Well the season is now over. We did very well this year. We finished third in our district. (47 points short of first) We had 5 regional qualifiers (2 district champions) and 5 alternate qualifiers. Unfortunately we did not qualify any for the State tournament. As always, I am still hungry!

I am already encouraged to see many of our guys participating in freestyle and looking forward to next season. They seem to understand that extra matches will translate into more wins next year. I don't want to get the cart before the horse, but next year 'on paper' (with who we have returning, etc.) looks like a lot of fun already. I am very excited.

I will try to remember to post after our banquet (May 1st) to update you on our letter man winners and our specialty award winners. Till then God Bless.


Front Row (L-R): Zach Matthews, Garrett Mills, Tayler Cameron, Safer Muhammet, Adam Disque, Jeff Ferrell, Devon Abbott, Carter Haynes;

Second Row (L-R): Justin Greenlee, Jamie Bautista, Dropped, Nathan Smiddy, Mike Robb, Josh Van Hook, Brian Knechtly, Jose Anguiano;

Third Row (L-R): Richard Rigsby, Jacob Ford, Austin Fullen, Taylor Henderson, Justin Ford, Sammy Washington, Ryan Weems, Paul Dhot, Raul Murillo;

Fourth Row (L-R): Kenny Harbison, Michael Derbonne, Dropped, Brandon Pollay, Noe Rocha, Kurt Day, John McManus, Rodney James;

Back Row (L-R): Assistant coach Brian Cook, Keenan McCord, Alex Wilkerson, Michael Boyefio, Bill Reeves, Colby Henderson, Michael Arredondo, Head coach Drew Wight.

Down the home stretch...

Well break is over and here we go, down the home stretch. The team roster has been finalized as the cost for some was too high. We have a slightly banged up, but tough team that has performed very well since the break (defeating Richardson, and wrestling well at our home Round Robin).

I am anticipating being at full strength shortly as we approach the final six events of the year. It is amazing that only 27 days remain until our district event.

I am not going to be shy about how I feel having finals in the middle of January. I think it stinks. As an educator first, and coach second, I feel that the first semester of school should end before the student's winter break. I think that six weeks/semester/final exam grades would be higher if everything for the first semester were complete before the break. Obviously I don't have any data to support that argument, but students and this teacher would prefer not to have any schoolwork lingering during the winter break.

Now as a coach, the team is put in a tough situation working toward our achieving goals. We have to make our grades, and we have to continue to improve. Because every other team out there is improving regardless of what we are doing during final exams.

To close I would just say that I have seen more and more truly great moments as this season has progressed. I don't want to call anyone out by name, but several athletes have grown up, matured, and have gotten on board toward achieving our goals.

Victory and Break

The team is going to take momentum into the Christmas break as we defeated Frisco Wakeland tonight (50-34). Wakeland, like ourselves, have come a long way and are no longer an "easy" win. Coach Kennedy is doing good work - no doubt.

I am very proud of where we are as a team thus far. We are taking a 14-2 dual record into the break as well as a first and second tournament placing out of three tournaments attended. The team is buying into what we are selling and it to shows! Work and improvement must continue, but that is for when we come back.

I hope that everyone has an incredible break. Whether you are going somewhere or staying home I hope that every person has the opportunity to spend QT (quality time) with their families and friends. Tell someone that you love them.

Wrestlers, ENJOY YOUR TIME OFF! You have been doing a good job, now is time for a little break. Please still jog (no less than) 3 miles daily. Push ups/Sit ups, strength training etc. NO MAT!! Eat sensibly, but enjoy Christmas dinner. Remember that you still must weigh in when you return, and it is still a small percentage that you can lose weekly. SO don't come back fat. I will see you on Monday morning (Dec. 29th) @ 9:30 a.m. Till then God bless and have a good vacation!

December

The month of December has held some tough wrestling matches for us this season. State dual selected TCA, beat us in a tough match at their house by 18 points. We beat Houston Clear Lake mostly because of the opponents forfeits.

We then placed a less than stellar 10th of 16 at the Rockwall 'Rumble at the Rock' Invitational.

We did respond well going 4-1 at the Lake Highlands 6-way, however the response did not meet expectations which was to beat L.H. (losing 51-33).

So how do we respond is the question? I see it as one of two ways, tuck and run, or fight. I think all those who know me understand my preference. Things outside the wrestlers' control have already interrupted this week's practice. Pictures Monday, inclement weather Tuesday, 1st/3rd Wednesday schedule; then we are expected to beat two very solid programs Thursday?

Optional after school practices have been scoffed at by the team. No one comes. Does no one really want to improve? We are good enough to beat easy opponents, but we are just plain lazy enough to maybe lose the reins on what would be an otherwise outstanding year (beating quality opponents throughout).

Coach Cook and myself keep pushing, but we are the only leadership. WE DESPERATELY NEED LEADERS TO EMERGE FROM THE TEAM. Without athlete leadership we will be an easy shell to break.

Check www.wyliewrestling.com to see how we do Thursday. I am optimistic, but we must get prepared ASAP.

Mustang Showdown/Richardson Round Up

Sorry, long time-no post. Busy times these day you know!

I am pleased with the way things have started so far this season. We took second in the Mustang Showdown at J.J. Pearce, and first at the Richardson Round-Up at Richardson High. We are also still undefeated in duals.

The best part about the entire situation is that we are in the third week of the season, and our wrestling will only get better as the season progresses.

We are wrestling well (don't get me wrong) but the way we are doing things is littered with little errors that will be corrected. Seeing as all of our wrestlers have lost at least once, we/they all know that there is plenty of work to do.

We are still classy and wrestle tough. Things are looking very promising, and I'm looking forward to what lies ahead.

Final thought: Promising doesn't mean squat! We need to out train, out drill, and out work the competition to win. Why will we win/lose? Because of how we train. Period.