Please note: There have been some changes in coaching positions since last season. These changes are partially reflected below, but we're still working on getting the positions completely up-to-date. Thanks for your patience!
This being my 10th year involved in the elementary wrestling program and I continue to see a tremendous amount of participation and enthusiasm, not just from the young wrestlers but the parents and coaches as well. I truly believe this is what makes a winning program on all levels of the sport.
We continue to have 20+ boys entering our local tournaments. Typically over 60% of these young grapplers come home with trophies. This weekend, 12 wrestlers will be traveling 3-4 hours to a tournament called TOWANDA! This is all the way up near the New York border. All of this takes a lot of time and money and I certainly commend them for their commitment.
This year we will once again see good numbers of 6th graders moving up to the Jr. High level. As long as this continues, the success of both the Jr. High and ultimately the Varsity programs will steadily be improving...
Assistant coach Kevin Simpson joined Hamburg this season. This is Kevin's second year of coaching. He coached Tulpehocken Jr. High wrestling for the 96-97 season. Kevin decided to coach wrestling when it came to a point in his life that he was tired of the same old "go to work everyday and come home" routine. "I started thinking of things I could do to enjoy myself," Kevin states, "I decided that the things I enjoyed most were when I wrestled and played football. So I decided to watch out for any coaching jobs that would open." Kevin told me, "I finally saw an ad for a Jr. High wrestling coaching job at Tulpehocken. I applied and got the job. My ultimate dream was to coach at the school that I grew up in and return my knowledge and enthusiasm to the school's program."
Coach Simpson has 2 children, his son Austin (7) is in his second year of wrestling in the Hawks elementary program. His daughter Kayle (4) is enjoying her first year as a wrestling cheerleader for the Hawks. Kevin likes to play sports and is a very active person. He enjoys working in his yard with different landscaping projects. He also enjoys riding motorcycle, listens to all types of music and his hobby as a certified personal trainer.
Kevin's goals as Jr. High Assistant Coach are to get Hamburg to increase their number of wrestlers interested to continue onto Jr. High and then to varsity. "My goals also are to teach aggressive wrestling, proper technique, and sportsmanship." Keven states, "My philosophy on coaching involves developing a well rounded team. Education of the sport, proper nutrition and strength training, family support and involvement are important in developing each individual. Close interaction between the coach and each athlete helps you to understand them as a person. Teamwork, sportsmanship, dedication, and hard work will result in a winning team (person), no matter what the numbers are at the end of each match."
Coach Simpson is very thankful to be involved in the wrestling program at Hamburg. Kevin says, "I hope to spend many - many years in wrestling to pass on my genuine love for the sport."
Kevin's final comment is, "Building takes time... together we can accomplish it all!!"
......By Kerry Page
Well, it's January 8th and I have a free evening off from practice because of a snow day. I would like to let everyone know how our Jr. High wrestlers are doing. First, I would like to say how very happy and proud I am of my 31 wrestlers and the way they get along as a team.
We started our season off with a very tough Blue Mountain team, losing to them 53-33, but beating last year's score of 72-12, which I felt was a great improvement. I could tell the next day at practice my wrestlers were proud of what they did but were not satisfied with staying at this level. Since that point, our practices were turned up about 100%; learning to drill hard became the key to where we are now - a team with a 4 and 1 record [webmaster's note: 12-3 as of Feb. 12th!]
Our next match was Kutztown at home and we beat them 73 - 12. This win really put a fire in the team's eyes. We all wanted to do well at the next match because it was with my Alma Mater, Schuylkill Valley. We did not let up one bit and shocked SV by beating them 45 - 37. Next we traveled to a surprisingly tough Fleetwood team which gave us all we could handle -- but we came away with a winning score of 43 - 39. I believe at this point we realized never to take a team for granted (which is a great lesson to learn).
Our last match (on the 6th of January) was the biggest challenge so far this year. Last year Boyertown West beat Hamburg by a score of 80 - 6. I told my wrestlers this would never happen as long as we wrestled like we do at practice. The Boyertown fans told us they had not lost a match in 3 years. I am very happy to say that winning streak has been broken. We left them and their team in shock by winning 46 - 36 and showed all the wrestlers what hard work and giving 100% can do.
In closing, I would like to invite everyone to come out and see our Jr. High team in action. We still have 12 more tough matches and the Wilson tournament ahead of us.
For the previous 6 years Harold Easter was the Head Coach for the Hawks Jr. High wrestling team. Harold has experienced many satisfying things as a coach. "I was directly involved with the 1995 championship team that broke the school record for the most wins in a single season. I have seen many young men become quality people achieving excellence in the area of self-discipline, hard work, self confidence and the development of character."
I asked coach what his goals are for the team, he told me, "The short and on-going goals of the wrestling team are to become the best student-athlete and to learn the skills of wrestling. To learn the traits of a real champion and to develop both physically and emotionally. My goal is to develop both on the mat and off. I want to see more numbers in the program. By the year 2002, I would like to see 50 plus wrestlers on the junior high team." Harold's philosophy in wrestling is first and foremost, the student-athlete and secondly is winning. "Our philosophy is to develop each wrestler to his fullest potential. We strive to develop in our wrestlers the high quality of physical conditioning, psychological conditioning and to develop each wrestler socially." Easter had a few last comments, "I have seen a growing interest in wrestling by parents who are the key to what we are striving to develop, and that is an outstanding wrestling program from the elementary through the varsity programs. I have seen a growing dedication by our young wrestlers and I am convinced the future of Hamburg wrestling is bright. We do need the growing support of parents, community and the school administration if we are going to achieve what I believe is possible. I am excited and glad to be a part of an exciting sport and a part of Hamburg wrestling."
......By Kerry Page
Left to right: Al Daughtry, Jeff Kummerer, Jed Wood
What is your experience as a coach? "I coached Reading Southern Jr. High for 5 years, and then Wyomissing for 12 years."
Any outstanding credits as a coach/wrestler? "All of my coaching has been at the Junior High Level. My belief is that Junior High is formative and only a stepping stone to what can be developed in the high school level. I also believe there should not be as much emphasis on intensity in the Jr. High level as the Senior level, so as to the continuing of the thought process of improvement in the wrestler as he graduates to the next level of wrestling, thus preventing the younger wrestler from peaking too early. Considering this, I have had the pleasure of coaching 5 inner city champions at Reading Southern, and 13 champions at Wyomissing for the county finals. 2 county runner-up teams from Wyomissing, but keep in mind this is on the same level as Senior High! As a wrestler, I myself was average with a winning record."
What is your wrestling philosophy? "Wrestling has changed alot since I wrestled and began coaching. Since then, wrestling has become a lot more offensive and therefore changing the style. Today, wrestlers are much better on their feet since the development of the takedown to such a level of aggressiveness to score points. My philosophy fits right in with this idea, because many more points are now scored in a single match. I put a lot of emphasis on four areas of wrestling: 1) Endurance; 2) Fundamentals; 3) Quickness; 4) Strength."
What are your goals as Hamburg's new coach? "My goals at Hamburg are to build up the numbers of wrestlers in the program and maintain that through the two feeder programs at the Jr. High and Elementary levels. I also want to instill the proper work ethic of a good wrestling program along with the aggressive technique that I believe works in the sport today. And finally using the above to develop and maintain a winning tradition that belongs at Hamburg."
Any additional comments? "My dream is to coach at my Alma Mater, since being a wrestler here myself. I know the process of building will take time, but I am confident in the kids and support here in the Hamburg District."
Q: Why did you become involved in wrestling?
A: "My older brothers were involved in it in High School and college. So like most little brothers I wanted to follow in their footsteps.
What is your experience in wrestling (as a wrestler/coach)?
A: "I started at a young age at home, then when my family moved to the Hamburg area I got involved in the high school program. Wrestled 3 years varsity, lost one duel match, took pride that I was never pinned, won a Berks County title in 1970. I also helped coach elementary, 2 years assistant varsity coach under Dave Best."
Q: What is your philosophy on wrestling?
A: "You must understand that this is not a sport that you can enter and think you can win without hard work. You must drill until it becomes 2nd nature. You must learn mind over matter, because there will be a certain amount of pain to overcome throughout a season and during a match, and most of all you must experience the heat of battle and learn from it. Only then can you win!"
Q: What are your goals or outlooks on the wrestling program?
A: "To see the program become a fine-tuned program, to install the importance of how programs flow into each other. Also, that everybody is important, from the wrestler, parents, coaches, and fans. We all need each other. Wrestling is for a special breed of people."
Q: Why did you become involved in wrestling?
A: I love the sport and I wanted to follow my sons through their wrestling careers.
Q: What is your experience as a coach/wrestler?
A: I coached 10 years as elementary, 2 years as Jr. High, and 1 year as varsity.
Q: What is your philosophy on wrestling?
A: ATTACK!! You must be offensive and on your toes; not defensive and on your heels.
Q: What are your goals or outlooks on the wrestling program?
A: To have a couple of State Champs, and District/State team titles.
Q: Any additional comments?
A: The future looks bright for Hamburg wrestling, if we can get the numbers to filter up to the varsity level from the Jr. High and Elementary levels.