Wrestling has been very important as a molding factor in my life, so I remember much of it. A little chronology might be in order.

78

HS - Lost in overtime to wrestler who took second in the Iowa state tournament at regional. He lost to the champion, in the same regional. Grew up outside of Iowa City, and went in to train at University of Iowa as often as possible. First time entering the room, Chris Campbell threw me around like a rag doll. I was honored just to be on the same mat.

Freestyle - On Iowa Select team with future D1 champions Jim Zalesky and Barry Davis, and  D1 All-Americans Tim Riley and Eric Klasson.

79 - Went to Northern Iowa as a walk-on.

80-83 Transferred to U of Central Florida (Division II) as a walk-on, and was awarded scholarship after beating their starting 167 lb wrestler (and D2 national qualifier) in a open tournament. Placed in some minor tournaments. Beat D1 Southern Region Champion David Strickland in freestyle. 3x National Qualifier, 2x Regional Champion. Worked J Robinson Intensive Camps during the summer. Trained with all three Banach brothers and Dave Fitzgerald during the summer at the University of Iowa. Team Captain and Outstanding Wrestler my senior year.

84 Graduate assistant at UCF. Secured funding as Student President for the program, only to see it dropped two years later.

88-93 Head Coach at Oviedo HS in Florida. Teams finished in Top Ten out of 260 teams. Turned 4-9 program to 14-1 dual meet record. Developed several state champions and USA Wrestling All-Americans. Generally had VERY good heavyweights.  6 wrestlers went on to wrestle in college. Worked J Robinson Intensive camps and Iowa camps during the summers. Seminole County Coach of the year, 90-91, Florida 2nd place team finish, 92. It may be noteworthy that Brian Smith, head coach at University of Missouri, finished fourth the same year, coaching at Western HS in Florida. Not saying I am Brian Smith, but wanted to note that there was and is good coaching in Florida.

93-99 Coached Police Athletic League Middle school program. On executive board of Seminole County PAL.

99-2002 Coached Seminole HS in Sanford, Fl as assistant. Team had first winning record, first state qualifiers and place winners in a decade.

2002 -2004 Assistant Coach with NWCA program UCF while working on doctorate. Helped develop 3x National Champion Tom Lawlor (he now fights MMA) UCF Team Won National title in 2nd year of existence. Also worked with Oviedo HS heavyweight, Kenny Lester, who won state, Greco Nationals and went to Arizona State. Convinced another former Oviedo HS state champion, Brian Black, to go back to school. He went to Upper Iowa, where he wrestled heavyweight and was a 2x All American in D3. Graduated in 06.

06 -11 Worked Ken Chertow camps where I took boys Jack and Jacob. Also worked Ken Chertow Omaha camp in 2014, where I took my daughter, Erin.

2011 Attended Silver College in Oklahoma City.

12-13 Worked freestyle at Madison with Phil Downs. Went to Silver College in Oklahoma to be Silver certified in USA wrestling.

2013 Attended USOEC Coaches program at Northern Michigan under Rob Hermann.

2013 Erin won her division at Women's Body Bar Nationals. She's not great, but she is developing.

2013 Helped Coach Northern Plains Regional's camp. Son Jacob took 6th, but has since retired from wrestling.

2013-14 Worked as a volunteer youth coach at Tri-Valley

2015 Founded, with Erin, the Minnehaha Women's Wrestling Club. There are currently six members.

What's the point? I have been in the sport 35 years, and have accumulated knowledge from some of the best minds in the sport. I am exceptionally good at developing heavyweights. It takes about two years, but the process has worked over and over with heavyweights who were, initially, not very good athletes.

Mark