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Indy Star Article on Cathedral: What's Cathedral wrestling's secret? 'Best coaching staff in the state of Indiana'


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What's Cathedral wrestling's secret? 'Best coaching staff in the state of Indiana'
 

 

BRIAN HARMON |  SPECIAL FOR INDYSTAR

1:38 p.m. EST Feb. 23, 2020

 

INDIANAPOLIS – Keeping a keen eye on a third-place match at the IHSAA Wrestling State Finals from one of two designated coaching chairs per team on the mat’s periphery, Cathedral coach Jeff Brown shouts encouragement to senior Tyler Wagner. During a break in the action, fellow Irish coach Michael Venezia pats Wagner on the shoulder and provides additional advice.

 

Brown is not the Cathedral head coach. Neither is Venezia.

 

Sean McGinley believes in delegation — and in his assistant coaches. 
 

“I have a lot of trust with my assistants,” said McGinley, a 1988 Cathedral graduate in his 20th season as his alma mater’s wrestling coach. “These coaches work so hard with these kids and they’ve got relationships with them, and they wrestle with them everyday. And I want to put that best person out there that knows that wrestler.“

 

It’s a philosophy that works. With McGinley often viewing matches several dozen feet from the action, Cathedral captured its third-straight team championship and fourth since 2014 on Saturday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

 

The Irish scored two individual titles: Zeke Seltzer at 120 pounds and Holden Parsons at 285 pounds. Ultimately, it was depth that propelled the Irish to the banner with 102 points, edging Crown Point (93.5). Cathedral’s Logan Bailey (138 pounds) was runner-up; Elliott Rodgers (160 pounds) grabbed third place; and Wagner (170 pounds) took fourth place.

 

Each state finisher, along with the remaining Irish standouts who had a part in sectional, regional and semistate team crowns leading up to Saturday, has relied on a variety of assistant coaches. Whether it's Brown, Venezia, Anthony Bill, Mo Gunn, Brian Seltzer or Brandon Wright, each Cathedral grappler has tapped into a variety of knowledge.

 

“One thing I’m proud to say is that my coaches aren’t only my coaches, but also my friends,” Rodgers said. “One of my biggest supporters is coach Bill. He’s helped me ever since my freshman year. They all have, but he has especially worked with me. To have him sit in my corner makes me feel really good because we’ve worked on things and he knows how I wrestle.”

 

The staff has a wealth of experience, not the least of which includes Brian Seltzer’s long tenure as head coach at Elkhart Memorial and Lawrence North through 2016. 

 

Admittedly biased, Zeke Seltzer (Brian’s son) believes, “Our coaching staff is the best coaching staff in the state of Indiana, by far.”

 

The collective coaching effort has raised the Cathedral wrestling program to the lofty athletic heights normally associated with the school, which has captured multiple football, volleyball and other IHSAA team state titles. Prior to 2014, the Irish had not won a wrestling team championship.
 

Under McGinley’s tenure, 108 wrestlers have qualified for the state finals, with 83 of the grapplers going on to place in the top eight, according to IndianaMat.com.

 

“Whether it’s me or coach Brown or coach Seltzer, I want to give the kid the opportunity to succeed,” McGinley said. “It’s not about me, it’s about these kids. If I don’t go out there (to the mat) ever, as long as they’re winning, I’m happy.” 

In a year’s time, Cathedral will aim for a fourth-straight wrestling state title, a feat not accomplished since Evansville Mater Dei’s string of nine straight titles from 1995 through 2003.

 

Of the eight Irish state qualifiers Friday and Saturday — including Evan Dickey (106 pounds), Johnny Parker (182 pounds) and Jacob Huffman (195 pounds), who were eliminated Friday — only Seltzer, Dickey and Parker will return.

 

A graduating senior, Rodgers has faith that the program is in good hands.

“McGinley is your biggest fan,” Rodgers said. “He always has your back. He’s the guy that if you have a problem, he’s got your back and he will deal with it 100%. He is not only a great wrestling coach, but a great friend to have.”

 

https://www.indystar.com/picture-gallery/sports/high-school/2020/02/23/ihsaa-wrestling-state-finals-2020-championship-matches/4847084002/

Edited by graham
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I love how they don’t rebuild, they reload. Just when you think “they will have a hard time replacing ______” (fill in the blank) They come out with another athlete that is ranked halfway through the season. 
 

I can’t wait to see what they pull off next year! Good luck 

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I was very impressed by the list of accomplished wrestlers at Cathedral, Roncalli, and others that came up through the Indianapolis CYO wrestling organization - so there should be some credit given there also.

 

I do think the coaches at Cathedral do a great job putting their wrestlers through a gauntlet of an extremely tough schedule to prepare them for the postseason - and I have seen their wrestler's names appear on many of the offseason's toughest tournaments also.

 

At the risk of opening a can of worms, I will point out that Cathedral would not have won this year's championship without a one-year transfer who won an individual championship and garnered major points towards their team championship

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