TOTALFOCUS Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 It was 1969 when we lined up for 6th grade gym class when Gary Giessler entered the gym. My good friend Mike Hoopingarner offered congratulations! I looked at Mike and asked what for? He then told me Mr. Giessler had just returned with a State Champion for Bellmont, ( 138 lb Phil Lengerich). I looked back at Mike and replied, "we have wrestling?" Here it started in 1962 with Decatur High School. After that a new intern Gym Teacher started, A.J. Kalver. The rest is History. Jeff Sheets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleSam Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Right on Jeff. The tradition of Bellmont Wrestling is most enduring. The program has maintained a level which no other High School in Indiana can match! Several schools have more State Champion individuals or Team Championships but those programs have not achieved the longevity of the Bellmont program. Consider the overall success at Mishawaka year after year as a barometer. As coach Giessler stated, many years ago, when asked if Bellmont Wrestling was a matter of life or death, "it's more important than that."!!!!! Many thanks to all the Bellmont Wrestlers of today and yesteryear and the Coaching staff that has made everything happen. UncleSam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jshockley Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 I was in the 6th grade in 1986. I went to St. Bernadette in Indianapolis. They hadn't had a team for decades, and I didn't know wrestling even existed. They decided to start up a program, but sign ups came and went without me even realizing it. One day we were all packed on the short bus(that was all we had) to go visit old folks at the nursing home, when our priest chased down the bus as it left the parking lot. He boarded the bus and asked if anyone else wanted to wrestle. Nobody responded. Then my friends asked me if I was signing up, and I found out most of them where , so I said "What the heck", I'll try it out. That same year, my brother was a freshmen at Scecina, and was hand picked out of the hallway by the coach because they needed a 98 pounder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewrestlingdude Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 standing outside the pe/basketball coaches office in 7th grade looking for my name on the list... I thought it was a mistake that it wasn't on there and then he told me wrestling was starting the next week and I should give it a try. Man what a lucky break for the Dude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awood2 Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 detention... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boot Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 I was 2 or 3 (maybe younger, who knows) and I went with my mom to watch my dad coaching. I was sold from then on out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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