Dec. 3, 2004: The Weber Sentinel

Wrestling Develops Good Traits in Athletes
by Ross Brunson

Wrestling is a tough sport. Coach Mark Storey of Fremont High School thinks it is the toughest sport in high school. The wrestling season begins the first week of November and ends the third or fourth week of February. Wrestlers go to school when it is dark and go home when it is dark. Wrestling practice takes up their evenings, and tournaments take up their weekends.

“If you can make it through a season, there is nothing you can’t do, in my opinion,” Storey said. “Just finishing the season is an accomplishment in itself.”

A handful of wrestlers practice and compete year round. They wrestle Collegiate style during the high school season and then switch to Freestyle and Greco-Roman style during the rest of the year. Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling are both Olympic events and follow international rules. Of the two wrestling disciplines, Freestyle most closely resembles collegiate wrestling. Greco-Roman style wrestling, the style used by Olympic gold and bronze medalist Rulon Gardner, involves more upper body moves and throws. Collegiate style wrestling is only practiced in the United States.

Storey said he thinks that wrestling is a valuable sport for high school athletes.

“It develops self-determination, motivation and self-discipline,” he said.

Wrestling is a unique blend of individual and team performance. Storey believes that the only obstacles to wrestlers’ are themselves.

“The sky’s the limit as long as you’re willing to work hard. As long as he [the wrestler] is eligible, it doesn’t matter if the coach likes him or not,” he said.

Storey said that wrestling is based purely on merit. Athletes wrestle each other to determine their places on the team, so the coach has no say in their placement. Athletes are also encouraged to wrestle near their natural weights.

Fremont High School has a wrestling team consisting of 42 wrestlers. In 2003, the team was the 5A State Champion. The team also had three wrestlers attend the Moscow Youth Games in Russia that summer. The wrestlers were nominated by coaches and then had to qualify. Billy Green brought home a gold medal and wrestled in the 275-pound weight class. Karson Storey and Kevin Slater, 184 and 215 weight classes respectively, both brought home silver medals. The Fremont team finished 11th in the state last year and hopes to better their position this year.

“The 5A region is the toughest in the state,” Storey said. “We have the top three schools to wrestle against — Viewmont, Davis and Weber.”

Storey has a lot of admiration for his competition, but it does not stop him from working to replace them.

“We have two returning State placers this year,” he said.

Michael Toone placed fourth in state competition, and Zach Hancock place fifth.