One of the main goals we have in regards to all of the Coaches giving of their time for our youth is to offer them a platform for their programs.

Every Coach has their own mindset in regards to this and that helps explain the swing in the levels of usage from one program to the next.

West Long and I have a great deal in common in regards to the Big Picture 📷 that we call life. The biggest difference between the two of us is Long is a lifer of Carroll County versus my being a short timer of just four years. Other than that we are chasing the same things….

Yes, Long wants to build a Wrestling program that will make our County proud but that is just the Tip of the Iceberg. Coach wants to make a difference in the lives of the people that he comes into contact with, not just while they are in his new Wrestling Room practicing or competing during a match.

Tonight we compared notes 📝 back and forth for just over an hour about his visions and his goals. It’s easy to hear the compassion in his voice and see the vision he has for those that he has in his program.

Why do I consider his job the toughest in the High School system?

1. There is no natural fan base to draw from because of the fact that HS Wrestling is not a mainstream sport.
2. The tougher it is to understand a sport = the harder it is to get people to give up evening Family time and limited resources to attend.
3. I truly believe that every Student Athlete desires to perform in front of their classmates and in the winter time the sport competes against Basketball 🏀. A sport much easier to follow.
4. The schedule is so different because unlike most other sports at this level, Wrestling is not guaranteed a set number of Home Dates.
5. In no other Sport will one of our Athletes have to run five miles and not eat Lunch in hopes of making weight on the day of competition.

I could go on for a while but hopefully I have made my point with this list. Yes, West Long is in for an incredibly long uphill climb with this but he is in it for the Long Haul and my Love 💓 for the underdog means I will be there with him every step of the way !

If this was a political campaign (Thank God its Not), our tag line would be something like A Vote for West Long is for Today and for the next Decade (or two) !

There will be plenty more as we move forward, together!