Scott Casber of TDR speaks with Big 12 Assistant Cowboy Coach Eric Guerreo; Colonial Athletic Association coaches Pat Popolizio, Tom Shifflet, and Steve Martin; and EIWA Coach Rob Koll.

During the finals webcast coaches Rick Gumble, Chris Messina, and TJ Brocking sat with us and talked about the season.

Watch inteviews with Andrew Lenzi, Andry Rodriguez, Connor Horl, Giuseppi Lanzi, James Ondris, Joe Kavanagh, Justis Flamio, Malik Rasheed, Nick Meinsen, Nigel McNeil, and Tony Carlo after their semifinal victories.

Watch interviews with coaches Chris Messina, Darren Goldstein, George Dugolonski, Paul Gillespie, Jim Murphy, Joe Catalanotto, Ray Adams, Rob Paletta, Rob Schaffer, Mike Torriero, and Chris Poli.

Watch interviews Tom Shifflet, Steve Bonanno, Jonny Bonilla-Bowman, and PJ Gillespie at the Hofsta vs. Drexel home dual meet on Saturday, February 20.

After the Iowa State dual meet at the Newman Center on January 31, Lighthouse Wrestling sat with Cornell Head Coach Rob Koll, 3x All-American Troy Nickerson, and freshman standout, Kyle Dake for a brief interview.

LI Marty interview Rob Koll at the UE Duals.

After agonizing setback at the NCAA tournament in 2009, Mack Lewnes, Cornell Junior at 174lbs, is rolling through opponents like a 16lbs bowling ball scrambles pins on a strike. In early season results, he won the Las Vegas Invitational with a finals victory over 3rd ranked Stephen Dwyer of Nebraska, the Body Bar Invitational, the Binghamton Open and two dominating victories over Maryland’s formerly number 4 ranked Mike Letts.

My latest book of stories, “STROBEL: Stories From A Life With Wrestling”, is receiving excellent reviews from the media. Just last week, Mike Chapman in W.I.N. magazine reported:

Scott Casber of Takedown Radio speaks with Ryan Patrovich about his move to the 171lbs weight class and Hofstra’s up comming season. Listen here.

So much has changed since I competed in high school during the 1970s. When I wrestled if you had 20 matches during the season, it was a lot. There are more opportunities to compete competitively all year today than in the 70s. Are the top wrestlers better today than in yesteryear? What’s your reasoning?

What’s your vision for the Shamrock AC? Where do you plan to take it? What are your hopes and dreams for the club?

Obviously you’re a great coach as measured by the success of your athletes. What characteristics/traits do you feel makes a great wrestling coach? Can a coach make the difference in the success of these future champions, or have you been fortunate to have had the opportunity to coach talent that was destined to be great no matter who coached them? What difference can a coach make? What are you emphasizing in your practices to make a difference in the success of your athletes?

Most people only know you through the Shamrock AC. Tell us about your wrestling experience and accomplishments. How did you get started in wrestling? Where do you get the inspiration and drive from?

“Establish trust with your athletes, demand that they give you their best, and teach them to love the sport as much as you do.” – Scott Green, Owner and Coach of Shamrock AC

Scott Casber of Takedown Radio brings a fascinating interview to the wrestling community with this interview of Lee Kemp. I didn’t know much about Lee Kemp before the interview, but I’m glad I watched it. Lee Kemp is a remarkable man.

The Friends of Massapequa Wrestling hosted a clinic with Olympic Champion Henry Cejuod at Massapequa High School on Saturday that was well attended by the local wrestling community. The Friends of Massapequa Wrestling invited Lighthouse …

“Champions aren’t made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them — a desire, a dream, a vision.”

– Muhammad Ali

With the 125lbs championship match tied at 1 and with six seconds into the 2^nd overtime period, Troy Nickerson lay facedown on the mat in pain. It was the third time in the tournament that his injured shoulder dislocated.

Life is about relationships, and NO sport embodies this human bond greater than the sport of wrestling. It’s about the bonds between a parent and son, coach and athlete, teammates and competitors, and competitors and fans.

Every individual that steps foot on the wrestling mat battles two opponents: the opponent the fans see and the opponent only the wrestler sees – THEMSELF. It’s the voice in your mind that tells you, you’re too tired to go on; it hurts too much to continue to fight; it fills you with self-doubt and makes you tentative in your attack.

It’s a fear of many varsity wrestlers who love to play football in the fall yet are passionate about their wrestling career: do you risk injury and ruin your winter wrestling season by playing football in the fall? It’s an even more tortuous decision going into your senior year with many wrestling goals yet to be achieved and the dream of a state championship still burning fiercely in your heart.

Section VIII individual championship results and team scores.

If you are a Long Island wrestling fan, then you’ve no doubt heard of Paul Liguori, and if it seems like he has been around forever, it’s because he has.

I recall Paul wrestling as a youth and being in awe of how accomplished he was against other wrestlers of his own age. It seems like every time, there has been a wrestling event, Paul has been part of it. Wrestling has opened a lot of doors allowing him to make friends and bonds that will last a lifetime, traveling, competing, and enjoying the success.

It’s a large responsibility for an eighth grade varsity wrestler, but Nick Hall is no ordinary wrestler — even for a prodigy. In the last match of a hotly contested dual meet against Brentwood, Section XI’s perennial powerhouse, where Longwood held the lead only once, it was up to Nick Hall to deliver a victory for his team.

The 160lbs final wasn’t supposed to end this way, but Rocky Point’s Billy Coggins had other plans. Entering into the tournament as the eighth seed in the 160lbs weight class, Billy Coggins won each round – as it can only happen – one match at time. Never looking beyond his current opponent, Billy knocked off three opponents seeded ahead of him to win the Eastern States Classic 2009.

He may not break your top 5 list or even your top 10 list of Section VIII wrestlers, but I have a feeling that it wouldn’t trouble this General. He’s too busy preparing for his next opponent and doing what Generals do: they make their statement on the mat.