Q. Welcome to El Dorado Springs.

Thank you.

Q. Where are you coming here from?

Fayette, MO.

Q. That’s up north of the Missouri River, isn’t it?

North of the river. About 30 minutes from Columbia.

Q. How long have you been a wrestling coach?

This is my first year as a head wrestling coach. I have one year of experience as an assistant wrestling coach at Warsaw high school in 2017.

Q. Did you wrestle in high school?

Yes, I did.

Q. How’d you do?

My junior year I lost in the Bubble Match at Districts, however my senior year I was a state qualifier.

Q. So you know what you’re doing?

I am a young coach, however, I have been around the wrestling setting as a student at Warsaw High school, my year of assistant coaching in Warsaw, and now as the new head coach; as we have already had a wrestling clinic with the guys here in El Dorado Springs.

Q. What’s your theory of wrestling, your style?

  My main focus is to get back to the basics, and learn to be fundamentally sound. I think when you have a young program like this, we need to get back to the basics and get them rolling with that so we can get more wrestlers to the state tournament this year.

Q. Will you start wrestling as soon as school starts?

No. We’ve had one camp this summer, the clinic I mentioned earlier. I feel as though it went pretty well. We had a division one college wrestler, Kolby   Estes from Campbell University, put on a clinic for our guys. It was kind of eye opening to our young men to have somebody who knows so much come in and work with them

We will start practice sometime in November depending on when the football season ends.

Q. Any indication how many are interested?

We had 30 sign up at the end of last year, however, I am hoping that more will strike up an interest and come sign up.

Q. You are an assistant football coach?

Yes, I am. I coach the corner backs and wide receivers.

Q. So that gives you good contact with them.

Yes, it does. It is wonderful having the opportunity to work with these young men before wrestling season begins.

Q. Do you have a family?

Yes. My beautiful wife, Kareegan, and our wonderful two-year-old son, Joey.

Q. Tell me more about yourself.

I am 24-years-old. I graduated from Central Methodist University last spring. I’m from Warsaw. I moved there when I was four years old and went kindergarten through 12th grade there. I’m really big on service, getting out in the community and doing things with people and doing it well. I grew up participating in community service and being involved in the church. Aside from that it’s football and wrestling for me. I’m sure my wife gets tired of me talking about sports.

I’ve known that I wanted to be a coach since high school. So when I was offered the position here, we up and moved and here we are getting a start.

Q. Did you do any spoonbilling while you were in Warsaw?

I did not. I do fish, however, it’s catfish and crappie for me. I’ve been in a couple of catfish and crappie tournaments just for fun. If I am not doing something sports related you’ll find me on the water.

Q. Your parents still in Warsaw?

Yes my father currently resides in Warsaw.

Q. Have you met Kevin McCollough?

Yes, I have.

Q. He’s a wrestler. He’s a runner. And very much in support of the programs in the school. He’s a fine guy. We are lucky to have him. And we are lucky to have you.

I agree. My goal is to get him as involved as we can. I think he is going to be a great asset for our program. My goal here is to build this wrestling program. Hopefully, in the future, we will get a Middle School program. For such a young program I think El Dorado’s wrestling team has a great foundation and having 30 come out is an awesome thing.