Coaches Corner for March 19th: Ryan Ross, Boone Boys Wrestling

With us on Coach's Corner here in KWBEG, get a chance to put a wrap on a real successful Boone Boys Wrestling season. Ryan Ross joining us and Coach and I just went down Pandora's box or opened up Pandora's box. I don't know what you want to say.

We went from wrestling to football to to life and I think I can bring it all the way back when I say all of those things this year kind of came true when you looked at what goals were had and what goals were kind of put up on a on a pretty high pedestal.

Ryan, you and I talked about this. I'll even rewind and talk out of class here. We've talked about this a couple of years ago on what you know the potential the the future this and that could look like for Boone Boys Wrestling. You're right on the doorstep right now, Coach.

You're right on the doorstep. Now we just got to open up that front door and let's see what else we're what else is inside this house. Yeah, that's the that's the plan. You know, we have that Aaron talked about the future and the future is pretty much here.

I think, you know, the freshman class was kind of the the start of what the Boone Wrestling Club started. Looks like we got maybe just a little gap where it's not, you know, 10 plus guys coming in here for the next couple years, but it does.

The future that sixth grade classes kind of went out. The big numbers will start. But yeah, I mean, we're here kind of doing what I expected us to do.

Well now, you know, here we are in the offseason and you know it's you rewind on the season and it's like man, there's some really great things that happened and the standards kind of been changing a little bit, but none of that changes unless you invest into your offseason and you believe and want to make this program better than what we are.

And hopefully that's where we're at. Hopefully the kids are bought in and they're not satisfied with, you know, living in the past. And oh yeah, I was part of a team that made regional duels, but I've still got three years left. So if I can't look, we're not done yet.

You know, so that starts right now. Yeah, I was going to say, I don't feel like that's the way with even when I was talking to the kids for Meet the State wrestlers, just kind of off the air, just trying to warm them up a little bit and get them ready to chat.

And it feels like everybody is kind of bought into not just the now Ryan, but for that future too. And boy, it really feels like a tight knit team and not a tight knit bunch of individuals, which is really nice. Number one and two really refreshing. I love that.

Yeah, you're right. It's a, they're all in on each other and I really, really like that.

You know, like I've, I've talked really well about this freshman class and they are what they are and they're really good friends and they really enjoy wrestling, which, you know, is a huge plus because you know, it's no secret that wrestling is tough and they're tired and the season sucks.

And that aspect of like from a coaching perspective, you know, like, man, I want to have some fun with them. I want to order food. Well, that's not really, you know, like, yeah, we can't go out to eat and do this and that. And so you got to make your own farm.

You got to find a way to buy into the journey and wrestling. And for the most part, like I think we're there right now. I'm waiting on, you know, I've got two guys I think can lead this team, two or three guys that I think can lead this team next year.

You know, Mason, Oakenick being one, Buryal Work being another, Trent Eckerd being another.

Really think that they can take a leadership role and I'm excited to see which one of those guys, you know, take that big step and leadership and help me get these boys bought in and ready to rock and roll.

Well, in those three that you just mentioned, two of them have to have a ton of hunger and I'm not expecting them to, you know, think about wrestling.

And I want to be back at that district meet today, but it has to be in the back of their mind because two of them probably should have been chatting with me on Meet the State wrestlers. You know, yeah, they're, they're fired off.

You know, Mason isn't a super emotional kid and he was pretty emotional on District Day and I think that rubbed him wrong. And, you know, I don't, I don't really know what happened and I don't know what the story is there and where, where things maybe didn't go right.

But I do know that the discomfort that that left him is definitely going to be a motivation. Same thing, you know, super tough district. But he's right there with those kind of kids and now it's just, listen, let's separate ourselves.

Let's make sure that we're locked in and we're one of the top dogs and who cares who's in our district.

And, you know, then you, you go to Brody and, you know, he had his medical issues his sophomore year where wrestling was in jeopardy and that's where the junior year and blood round and having just a freak accident happened. And now you're laid up for four months.

I think, you know, surgery appeared in a couple of weeks and it's a four month recovery. So you're talking August. It's going to be, what do you do over those four months? How far does your body let you train without using your arm?

And then come August, are you ready to rock and roll? And, but until that point, can you lead this team and make sure they're bought in and still show up to, you know, open match for support and helping get your team motivated and things like that.

So I think one of the most important things for me right now is finding that kid that, okay, you know, I'm going to help coach. I'm going to help lead this team. So I'm super excited to see who's going to step up into that role.

Well, and you, you've got to roll too with losing some great seniors and I'll let you talk about them real quick too, Ryan, but you had a real nice senior class and I feel like we're going to be saying that now for the next few years, because each year there's going to be a senior class that goes through that I go, holy cow, Ryan, how are we going to replace an AJ?

How are we going to replace a Tate? How are we going to replace and then start fast forwarding with other kids too?

I mean, Ryan, this is kind of set up here for the next so many, I don't even know how to say it, you know, like four or five years, probably we're going to have senior classes come flying through here that are pretty darn stacked.

Yeah, that's, you know, that to be honest with you, it's my least favorite part about coaching. I hate seeing these kids go. You build such a bond and, you know, obviously I'm going to speak of wrestling because that's what I know.

But, you know, we go through some nasty stuff together and highs and lows and tears and joy. And so when they go, it's tough. I hate, I just, maybe it's just a goodbye thing. I don't like it.

I'm excited for their future, but, but yeah, I mean, replacing AJ and replacing Tate, you just don't replace them. But, you know, you never do. You don't replace that.

You know, even just the past classes, they're not replaceable, but you find somebody, I guess willing to step up. But yeah, those guys are, they're tough to replace. I'm going to miss.

There's just things about them that you miss in the room and things that they did that nobody else has done.

And, you know, I obviously, when I came into this thing, I set that pedestal really high with Harvey, you know, he was my first guy and you sit there and you're like, man, nobody's going to do this or nobody's going to do that. And then the next guy does. And it's like, holy cow.

He puts his own little twist on it, you know, and like AJ, for example, he comes into the room and just everything that a teenager is as a freshman, the goods and the bads, and then just watching his development as a leader.

And then to end up, you know, being one of the best leaders that we've ever had, it's just, it's crazy. It's awesome. It's such a good trait for him. He honking. I think being awesome leader, you get her sophomore junior year, not even a part of wrestling, you know, really.

And, but just the control of the room when he was in there and working out. And, you know, I sit there and talk about wrestling being tough and it's hard to find the fun things and stuff like that. But he just naturally brought it kind of a hyper goofy, cool, fun, enjoyable kid.

And he was super awesome at lightening the mood, I guess. And so, you know, you need those guys too. And Kate was definitely that. So yeah, they're not nobody every time they leave, they're irreplaceable, but somebody, somebody fills that void somehow, some way every year.

So and that's what I'm saying. I'm super excited to see who can try to fill the shoes of those two this upcoming season.

So I'll leave you with this because I always like to ask you one thing to look in the future for me, because it's always fun to look back and listen back and see what, what coach said the year before. So give me one this year, Ryan. What's the next step forward?

I mean, regional duels obviously was a huge step this year. More kids to state, putting kids on the stand, doing this, doing that. I mean, what's the next progression for Boone Boys Wrestling? Give me, give it to me here on, on when we look at here in March. Sure. Yeah.

I, you know, they wrote some on our regional dual shirt, like some along the lines of changing the standards. And I think that if that's our mentality, that's, that's where I'm going to go is just changing the standard.

Like, hey, like, we don't want to just win some duels and we don't want to just send some guys to state. Like we want to be relevant. We want to be feared and we're going to do that by putting in the work and changing the standard of, of who we are as a team.

Like, you know, for several years, we went in and wrestled duals with five guys. Nobody liked wrestling those five guys. And now we're sitting at, you know, 13, 14 man roster. We almost got all the seats built for the most part.

It's like, you know, change the standard of all those weeks are tough. Like people don't want, they're nervous about wrestling us and, and you know, the, this, the fire, I guess that's, that's what I'm looking forward to.

And that's what I think we've got coming up is, hey, like, this is who we are. Like, this is what we're going to do. We made state great. Now let's win. You know, like we're changing the standard. So that is, yeah. Yeah. That's, that's where I'm going to sit with that.

That's a good thought. That's a good thought to leave with Ryan is always thank you so much for some time. Always love talking, wrestling with you here.

We're doing this in March and you're, you're ready to get back in the room, which I know summer will be here before you know it, but thanks for some time. We appreciate you. Can't wait to start talking about it again in November. Yes, sir. Thank you, Ryan. You bet.

Ryan Rossigan joining us, Boone boys wrestling here on coaches corner.