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Mar, 2016

At SB-L Wrestling succes starts early. Teaching the ethics of hard work, respect, & responsibility

There’s a reason Sergeant Bluff-Luton consistently wins on the wrestling mat, and it has nothing to do with luck. This year alone, Coach Clint Koedam’s Warrior grapplers finished the regular season undefeated in dual team competition, won both the District and Regional championships and qualified for the team State tourney in Des Moines.     Along with the ladder, SBL sends individual State qualifiers to Des Moines yearly, often times bringing back a State championship. The Warriorland success starts in Kindergarten at SBL and works its way up through elementary and junior high, so by the time these thoroughly trained and prepared wrestlers step foot on the prep mat, wrestling has become virtually a way of life. The youth coaches include long-time veterans Jim McCrystal, Jeritt Munch and former SBL (2010) and Morningside College (2014) wrestler Jordan Langley, the latter of whom heads third through eighth grades. 
    This season (2015-16) alone, the SBL youth wrestling program had well over 100 kids participating. “As a former SBL wrestler,” Langley said, “I see those numbers as a positive indicator. It tells me that the kids want to be a part of something that’s good, wholesome and successful. ” It was Koedam who inherited what was already a sound program formerly coached by Joel Huffman and Al Borkowski. Upon arriving at SBL (2004) and after he became head coach, Koedam initiated a youth program that reached down into the primary grades and moved up into elementary and junior high. The results have been ample, consistent, and glowing -- again pointing to what happens when a coach is dedicated to his/her sport. Dedicated means 24/7, 12 months a year.
     Langley will take over 20 youth wrestler to the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) State Tournament in Des Moines the end of February. “There are a number of factors that play into the program’s success,” Langley said. “One of those is the leadership displayed by our seventh and eighth graders. They’re the ones who encourage the younger grades to improve.” He named off a number of those youngsters as prime examples having leadership qualities.” Langley, a product of the SBL program, experienced state runs as both a junior and senior. “ It all starts at an early age,” Langley said. “What we seek to accomplish is a transitional pathway that sees kids move up steadily; so, by the time they enter high school they can move into freshmen, junior varsity, and varsity levels knowledgeably and skillfully. 
     ”Langley said that SBL has a solid tradition going for it in wrestling. “The kids pick up on what’s involved to be a Warrior wrestler. They learn the ethics of hard work, perseverance, and dedication, which translates into mental toughness, tenacity of spirit, self-confidence, respect, responsibility, and personal sacrifice. ” Yes, it is a year-around program of preparation. “This past year, for example, we held a Top-Notch Wrestling Academy that Coach Koedam ran from start to finish,” Langley said. “If you look at the SBL High School kids who qualified for State this year, you’ll find a correlation between their successes today followed up by the years of training they have been involved with through the wrestling program. ” The younger wrestlers are able to see and experience the results of their yearly training during the off-season. “I can tell you that our kids here at SBL are very unique. They want to be the best. In the wrestling room, I ask for a mile and they give me two miles. Our kids always push the envelope.
    Honestly, they exceed the expectations of us coaches. ”Another benefit of the SBL wrestling program is familiarization. “By starting kids out early from Kindergarten on, we allow them to become familiar with the sport, the coaches and themselves. What we aspire to do is not only make each kid a better wrestler, but also a better person.”

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