Devils27 Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 Boone Grove's Iron Five Jared Cockrell, Jr., 152 Neal Cleland, Jr., 160 Ryan Abrego, Jr., 171 Patrick Poxon, So., 189 Zack Keilman, Fr., 215 It would be easy for Mark Line to soften his approach. But it's just not the way he's built, not back in the day when he was coaching state contenders at Lowell and not now when he's got a team of five at Boone Grove. "We're going to work hard, drill, condition and let the chips fall on the mat," Line said. "I'm not going to back off on my philosophy. I told them either you're here or you're not here. I can't fear that I can't push them. It doesn't do justice to the kids who are here." Twenty-six boys signed up in the preseason. The number dwindled to 14 by the start of practice and 10 or 11 for the first meet. A couple more dropped off after the holiday break, leaving the Wolves where they are now. "My hat's off to those who have stayed," Line said. "It's never a question of them being there. They work hard and do what they're asked. It takes courage, bravery to step out on that mat, especially when you don't have a lot of experience." For juniors Jared Cockrell and Neal Cleland, it was never an issue. The two have wrestled since middle school and it's their only sport. "It's easy to stay, with this group of guys," Cockrell said. "They're all hard workers. We've got a strong bond. It would be nice to have more people, but I'd rather have less with a group with heart, like we have." Boone has no wrestlers under 152, meaning Cockrell starts many of the Wolves' matches. He's followed by Cleland (160), classmate Ryan Abrego (171), sophomore Patrick Poxon (189) and freshman Zack Keilman (215). "We're all friends. We hang out outside of school," Cleland said. "No other sport allows you to be as aggressive. You work really hard in practice, wrestle a match, give it all you've got and when you end up with a win, it's a great feeling." The sweat comes with no guarantees, one reason Line believes there aren't more kids. "Wrestling's a tough sport," he said. "You've got to go through the battles to win the wars. If you don't win them all, you don't win them all. Learning is always the most important thing. That's my philosophy. You're just trying to get better every day, and I think they are. It's making them a better athlete, a better person." Poxon and Keilman are both there largely because of football, but Line doesn't mind. Assistant coach Tony Girgenti encouraged them to come out, as he was urged when he was at Portage by Larry Tharp. "It's good that there aren't so many. It's my first year and I get more experience," Poxon said. "I'm getting in better shape. I feel better. I'm losing more weight than in football. Wrestling's far tougher than football. All the kids (badmouth) wrestling, but it's fun." The handful of Wolves who wrestle may be the 'odd balls,' according to Keilman, but it's a moniker he wears with pride. "I feel stronger every day," Keilman said. "I practice and I have more energy the next day. When someone quits, you just learn to deal with it. You move on, keep going. I plan to stay with it all through high school." Sure, Line would like to have more bodies simply to improve the quality of practices. But as long as he's got one kid willing to lay it on the line for him, he's going to do the same. "They're the men of valor," Line said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils27 Posted January 11, 2011 Author Share Posted January 11, 2011 It's funny how as a 26 year old you still remember your crushing defeats, upset victories and the people who pushed you when weakness was leaving your body. When your in high school you almost despise the coach that pushes you while the swim team is sitting around laughing and having fun at practice. Why can't we just sit around and do nothing haha. It becomes apparent when they are done come regional time and you are in the money round at semi-state getting your hand raised in victory punching that ticket to Conseco. Other people pay money for that ticket, you earned it with years of Blood, Sweat and Tears. I wanted to say thank you to Coach Line for all of his years of hard work and passionate dedication to this sport we all still love and think about no matter the age. Your strength has made boys into men and that is something that does not go unnoticed. Thanks for always being there Coach! Sincerely Matt Puskar class of '02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oscar Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 Matt First let me say thank you for the story on Boone Grove and Coach Line. All I can say is job well done Coach Line. Character and class all the way. Winning titles pales to winning respect and changing lives of young men along the way. My hat is off to you. Bravo! Bravo! Respectfulluy Oscar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pirateville Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 There was a coach from Highland named Poynter that was suppose to turn that whole program around at Boone Grove , what ever happened to him ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils27 Posted January 11, 2011 Author Share Posted January 11, 2011 I took the article from nwitimes.com fyi but Coach Line was my Coach at Lowell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ENoblewrestling Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 Matt First let me say thank you for the story on Boone Grove and Coach Line. All I can say is job well done Coach Line. Character and class all the way. Winning titles pales to winning respect and changing lives of young men along the way. My hat is off to you. Bravo! Bravo! Respectfulluy Oscar Why do you feel that not having many kids out for the team is a good thing? How does not having many kids out for the team help promote our sport at all? There are plenty of teams out there with large numbers who work hard and do things the right way. Having low numbers in no way shows that a team has character or class, it may acctually show the opposite (I am not in anyway saying that is the situation at Boone Grove). I dont see how you think this is god for a sport or a team at a particular school. Shouldnt we try and get more kids into our sport? Its attitudes like the one shown in your above statement that are causing our sport to grow at a rate that is much slower than other sports. Im sure that Boone Groves coach is doing a good job with the kids he has, but I would be willing to bet he would take a full team of guys if they were willing to put in the effort. Just because a team has a lot of guys doesn't mean that those kids dont put in the same effort as teams with less kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ENoblewrestling Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 Busco- I don't know anything about the coach or the school in question. But I can tell you that three are a lot of teams out there that don't work hard. I have heard that many coaches are afraid to run kids off. If a wrestling team isused to not working hard then it will take some time to build it up and many people are likely to quit. Or you could compromise and keep them around. I think that is what Matt is talking about. It is good that the coach didn't compromise. I dont disagree with the fact that wrestlers need to be held to a high standard and need to work hard. I have read several posts from Oscar where he puts down the team portion of wrestling in the past. I am just trying to get an insight more into how, and why he feels this way. I agree that teams need to work hard, at the same time this can be done without running your whole team off. I also dont see many individuals let alone teams that are out of shape and would show signs of "not working hard' If a match goes six minutes both wrestlers are generally pretty tired (Which they should be). I personally have not seen any team in Indiana that doesn't work and train hard, its part of the sport, all teams no matter how big or how small work hard imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muckman_1999 Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I applaud this coach for his values, hard work, and discipline. As a former basketball player, a father of a wrestler and a coach of a non-wrestling sport(football) I understand the hard work and effort required to succeed in this sport. By success I do not mean just wins and victories. I do not yell at my son when he loses a wrestling match, if he gives it his all. It is a victory every time he goes out and competes. wrestling is hard sport, but the greatest satisfaction comes from the things in life that are the most difficult. In the past couple of years i have seen kids come and go and every excuse for quitting imaginable. here are some of them. 1. I am burned out...hard to imagine a 16 year burned out but happens all the time. 2. i want to get a job 3. I need to run for cross country, lift for football, play winter soccer, ad infinitum ad nauseum, kids are choosing to specialize more and more I am sure there are more out there, but the point is this. If a kid is not passionate about the sport by the time he is in high school, with a number of matches under his belt, and some at least moderate success in the sport, AND with a long-term relationship with adults that are passionate about the sport and encourage the kids, that kid will 9 out of 10 times quit. I have seen it happen again and again. I am always impressed by the program at Lowell for example. they seem to have a dedicated coaching staff, parents who care, club people who spend countless hours supporting the kids. My guess, is there kids leave with a passion for the sport, and great memories of high school wrestling Boone grove is fine with 5 kids right now.. The key is the young kids in the elementary and middle school. The matches of 2016-2020 are being won and lost right now. There is no other way.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbarnett Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 There was a coach from Highland named Poynter that was suppose to turn that whole program around at Boone Grove , what ever happened to him ? Coach Poynter runs the MS and Elementary programs and has a strong group of young kids. He's a vital part of the process and does a fantastic job with the young kids I don't believet hat he left Highland in an effort to turn around the program. I believe he left Highland and took a teaching job at Boone Grove because his sons attend the school and participate in sports, as well as the fact that it's a 5 minute drive (rather than the previous 45 minute drive) from his home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils27 Posted January 12, 2011 Author Share Posted January 12, 2011 I dont disagree with the fact that wrestlers need to be held to a high standard and need to work hard. I have read several posts from Oscar where he puts down the team portion of wrestling in the past. I am just trying to get an insight more into how, and why he feels this way. I agree that teams need to work hard, at the same time this can be done without running your whole team off. I also dont see many individuals let alone teams that are out of shape and would show signs of "not working hard' If a match goes six minutes both wrestlers are generally pretty tired (Which they should be). I personally have not seen any team in Indiana that doesn't work and train hard, its part of the sport, all teams no matter how big or how small work hard imo. Well Coach Riesens I believe you're missing the point of my initial post. It was put up there to support my past coach who was pulling together a new mind set at a school that has lost sight of it. It is very easy for a Coach with 2 Senior wrestlers who show leadership everyday to comment the way you have. He is bringing a mind set of a coach who has had 3 individual state champions in his wrestling room. He is instilling the mindset of past Indiana High School Coach of the year in young adults that want to be there. He is doing this for the sport we love and I was hoping some people who love wrestling would support him, his efforts and those that want to be there to achieve greatness through hard work and determination. Thank you for all the support! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlittlejohn Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 "It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men." Frederick Douglass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ENoblewrestling Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Well Coach Riesens I believe you're missing the point of my initial post. It was put up there to support my past coach who was pulling together a new mind set at a school that has lost sight of it. It is very easy for a Coach with 2 Senior wrestlers who show leadership everyday to comment the way you have. He is bringing a mind set of a coach who has had 3 individual state champions in his wrestling room. He is instilling the mindset of past Indiana High School Coach of the year in young adults that want to be there. He is doing this for the sport we love and I was hoping some people who love wrestling would support him, his efforts and those that want to be there to achieve greatness through hard work and determination. Thank you for all the support! Devils27 I appologize if my posts came off as being negative towards coach line or his program. I do not know much about boone grove, or coach line. I do know that lowell has had a long a storied tradition, and I'm sure that he will have great success at boone grove. The posts that I made were in reponse to oscars post, and his posts in the past that have dealt with the team aspect of wrestling. It was in no way to question coach lines philosphy towards coaching. It was meant to challenge oscars idea that the individual aspect of wrestling is more important than the team aspect, and that teams that are successful have somehow either cheated or done something that is incorrect, which I disagree with. Again I appologize if my comments seem directed toward coach line, I in know way was trying to challenge his philosophy or situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils27 Posted January 12, 2011 Author Share Posted January 12, 2011 Well you and oscar can wrestle on another post haha. No worries good luck to your boys this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ENoblewrestling Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Thanks same to you guys, and boone grove. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
throw45 Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 To anyone who really cares, pirateville included: Boone Grove is a small rural school in south Valparaiso that has some inherent wrestling problems, and I know we're not alone. While we're in the general vicinity of "The Region," we're not fortunate enough to have an established tradition in our sport where "numbers" really aren't an issue. We're a member of the PCC, Porter County Conference, where basketball rules, baseball and soccer are pretty good, football is virtually non-existent, and wrestling is still believe it or not in a "grassroots" stage. It's a great place, don't get me wrong, but it's very traditional and very resistant to change, particularly from an administrative and a "community" standpoint. Our high school program, like most, is a direct reflection of our middle school program, which also suffers from pretty poor participation. It's not from a lack of effort or bad coaches in my opinion, but rather from, quite literally, an athletic administration that won't cooperate. This year, our middle school basketball program has 60+ players, with an A, B, and C team at virtually each grade 6-8. When MS wrestling has low numbers, you can't help but see how low HS numbers will suffer the same fate. Until we figure out how best to solve this problem, I don't see any long term solution. We're hoping that by competing in our first season of varsity football next year, wrestling participation will improve, but 60+ MS basketball players in such a small school, 80% of which will never see the floor in HS, isn't helping. Wolves Wrestling Club, our youth program, is alive and well, but we're still a few years away from seeing the fruits of our labor at the HS level. We have a bunch of elementary kids who have been at it for several years, and we're trying to build on them. I hope Coach Line sticks it out long enough to reap the rewards he deserves, again, but only time will tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
throw45 Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 On a side note, the little guys in the Boone Grove Wolves Wrestling Club are working their tails off! Over the last couple years, we've had many state placewinners, a couple of ISWA state champs, and a Runner-up finish in the small team division at folkstyle state last year. We have tireless coaches and parents who are doing everything in their power to change the way wrestling is perceived in our little corner of Porter County. The Region has great tradition and we desperately want to make our mark. I don't know if BG will ever win the Crown Point sectional, but it won't be because we didn't try like hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiralride Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 After reading all the posts I will throw my two cents in....I myself have a vested interest in the club at boone grove because I have three boys wrestling at this time in the club. First, as for Coach Poynter, My three kids love wrestling for him and would only wrestle for him now!! He moved to Boone Grove to spend more time with his kids and family and that you cannot fault a guy for! He has a very big interest in the high school program still to this day and has near 40 kids in the room every tues, thurs and friday night. He started the kids program with his wife by himself with his own money 6 years ago because of knowing the high school team was never going to be a contender without a feeder program....I would think that makes since to most of us...He has surrounded himself with 7 qualified coaches in the club room everynight and the kids get ALOT of one on one time...That is incredible. He takes his club kids all over indiana and michigan to compete to get them the most mat time he can. Second, Boone Grove has been a basketball school since 1913, why I have no idea because they have no state championships to their credit. The varisty wrestling team gets little support from the school. They practice in an open wrestling room where everbody and their brother walks thru all day, they have home matches and wrestle them in the aux. gym not even the main gym and they fund raise to purchase their own singlets and sweats. Kids now a days are not dumb and they see the non support from the school. Although I somewhat agree with Throw 45 about finally a varisty football program helping the varisty wrestling program, I will tell you the kids in the club room is Boones future!!!!!! Coach Poynter should be commended for starting a little old kids club up in the corner of Porter County. Thank you to Coach Line for taking the Varisty program Over.... But a bigger THANKS to Coach Poynter for understanding the BIG PICTURE of Boone Grove Wrestling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I would also like to commend Coach Poynter for seeing a picture of the future. I believe his biggest obstacle is at the middle school level where basketball takes a lot of the boys'. I know that it sounds bad, but if there were cuts from the basketball team some of those boys would go to wrestling. They might find there calling in wrestling. Until the mindset changes at the school because it is the feeling that everbody should have a chance to be on the basketball team because it will hurt them as a person. Well that is a little short sighted. As long as they keep this mindset at the middle school the wrestling program is going to suffer. That is my two cents and again I would like to commend Coach Poynter. I hope that things change so that the kids have a better opportunity at becoming better young people and your vision will come to be reality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbarnett Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Well said fellows! On a side note, Coach Poynter is also one of the best young officials in the state now, and I'm predicting you'll see him on the mat at Conseco on several occaisons in the future if he sticks with it and doesn't go back in to coaching (hint, hint) ;D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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