April 2007: South Valley Journal

Bluffdale Teen Named State’s Most Outstanding Wrestler
by Skyler Hutchinson

Bluffdale teen Cole Shafer was named Most Outstanding Wrestler in the upper weights in the 5A division at the Utah State Wrestling Tournament in February.

He earned the honor after winning the title at the state tournament held at UVSC, beating two-time state champion Mitch Sanderson by pinning him.

“I stood out above the rest. It was amazing. It just felt really good,” Shafer said.

Although Shafer lives in Bluffdale, he attends Brighton High School in Cottonwood Heights. He wanted to play football, but his father nixed the plan because he thought it was too dangerous; so Shafer turned to wrestling. He started when he was 8 years old, wrestling and training at the Treehouse Athletic Club in Draper. There he met good friends and wrestling partners Talon Knox, who graduated last year, and KC Nate, who is a senior this year at Brighton. They were the reason Shafer decided to attend Brighton, he said.

Shafer enjoys the outdoors and likes hunting, fishing and camping. Like many other kids, he likes Nintendo and agrees it’s “a good timewaster.” He has a goal of getting a scholarship and using wrestling to help further his education but doesn’t have anywhere specific in mind.

With nearly a 45-minute commute to school every day and rigorous practices with a short two-month break from wrestling in the summer, Shafer plans his schedule accordingly. He switches his schedule so he’ll take all his easiest classes that demand the least amount of time during the heart of wrestling season, which is the second trimester at Brighton. Right now Shafer’s classes consist of honors chemistry, honors English, AP U.S. history, precalculus and personal finance.

His parents, Rick and Marla Shafer, and older sister Kylee are very supportive. He said they come to every duel; for the region and state tournaments, his extended family turned out to support him.

Shafer’s achievements for the year include first at the Layton Invitational tournament held in December; seventh at the Reno tournament of champions just before Christmas; third at the Rocky Mountain rumble in January; undefeated at the 5A duels Jan. 20 and three-time region 2 champion Feb. 1. Shafer has never been defeated by a Utah wrestler and beat all his Utah opponents by pinning them, except for one.

“His will to win is unique. He never quits. He amazes me,” said Brighton head wrestling coach Wade Brown, who has been coaching Shafer for three years now. “He seems to be up against better or stronger wrestlers or better techniques, but he always finds a way to win.

“He is a good example of how to give it everything you’ve got to with a match. He is fun to watch wrestle, he has a unique style. He is a remarkable kid.”