Could wrestling make a return to St. Helena High School?
At least temporarily, it already has. The question becomes, will
it have staying power? While I can appreciate the “one step at
a time” line of thinking, such a question begs for a program that
has a proud past. According to a recent story in the St. Helena
Star, which is a weekly publication in St. Helena, CA, the sport
has returned on a tryout basis for 2019-2020 after going on
hiatus for the 2018-2019 season based on lack of enough
participants:
it have staying power? While I can appreciate the “one step at
a time” line of thinking, such a question begs for a program that
has a proud past. According to a recent story in the St. Helena
Star, which is a weekly publication in St. Helena, CA, the sport
has returned on a tryout basis for 2019-2020 after going on
hiatus for the 2018-2019 season based on lack of enough
participants:
https://napavalleyregister.com/community/star/sports/st-helena
-wrestling-outlook-storied-program-returns-for-a-tryout/article_
2c6e516e-906a-5d87-83c7-4327c521c210.html
-wrestling-outlook-storied-program-returns-for-a-tryout/article_
2c6e516e-906a-5d87-83c7-4327c521c210.html
In this space nearly two years ago, yours truly chronicled how
the sport had died a slow death since former head coach
Herschel Sandler resigned initially for personal reasons and
later found himself in a legal quagmire. From 1997-2007,
Saints wrestling won nine league titles in ten years along with
a CIF North Coast Section Class A title before gradually falling
into the abyss:
the sport had died a slow death since former head coach
Herschel Sandler resigned initially for personal reasons and
later found himself in a legal quagmire. From 1997-2007,
Saints wrestling won nine league titles in ten years along with
a CIF North Coast Section Class A title before gradually falling
into the abyss:
After Sandler, the program went through three coaches (Joe
Luna, Matt Coit and Roger Bubel). Though it was not due to
lack of effort by those involved, the program was never the
same. The current Saints are coached by Steve Solis, who
has been coaching Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School
(also St. Helena) the past two years. After breathing life back
into the RLS program, Solis hopes to do the same for St.
Helena. While the task is not impossible, it will not be easy.
Luna, Matt Coit and Roger Bubel). Though it was not due to
lack of effort by those involved, the program was never the
same. The current Saints are coached by Steve Solis, who
has been coaching Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School
(also St. Helena) the past two years. After breathing life back
into the RLS program, Solis hopes to do the same for St.
Helena. While the task is not impossible, it will not be easy.
The Saints will not formally compete in Coastal Mountain
Conference meets but if the program is to return to such status,
there are certain criteria that needs to be met. For openers, the
roster numbers need to be kept up to remain viable. The
program finished the 2016-2017 season with two wrestlers. If
the program returns, the roster size ought to be from 12-15
wrestlers. There are 14 weight classes. St. Helena’s current
roster size is 15. Solis is assisted by Michael Hanna and Will
Sasser.
The reason why such a roster size stipulation is warranted is
because in the CMC, teams travelling for 75 minutes one-way
for a meet is commonplace. If, for instance, you are Kelseyville,
do you want to waste school district transportation money to
come to St. Helena to wrestle three matches and forfeit 11?
I don't think so. The same thinking can work in reverse.
Conference meets but if the program is to return to such status,
there are certain criteria that needs to be met. For openers, the
roster numbers need to be kept up to remain viable. The
program finished the 2016-2017 season with two wrestlers. If
the program returns, the roster size ought to be from 12-15
wrestlers. There are 14 weight classes. St. Helena’s current
roster size is 15. Solis is assisted by Michael Hanna and Will
Sasser.
The reason why such a roster size stipulation is warranted is
because in the CMC, teams travelling for 75 minutes one-way
for a meet is commonplace. If, for instance, you are Kelseyville,
do you want to waste school district transportation money to
come to St. Helena to wrestle three matches and forfeit 11?
I don't think so. The same thinking can work in reverse.
The key to sustaining the program is for the RLS and St. Helena
High to work in concert with one another. You can debate which
one carries more importance because there are arguments for
both. St. Helena needs RLS so it has a young crop of wrestlers
to become Saints. RLS needs St. Helena to have a high school
to send wrestlers without having their hand forced to either a)
go the private school route or b) needing a district transfer to a
public school.
High to work in concert with one another. You can debate which
one carries more importance because there are arguments for
both. St. Helena needs RLS so it has a young crop of wrestlers
to become Saints. RLS needs St. Helena to have a high school
to send wrestlers without having their hand forced to either a)
go the private school route or b) needing a district transfer to a
public school.
The good news is that the removal of the wrestling program has
only been a couple of years so the youngsters involved still recall
St. Helena having a program even if it was beyond the glory
years. The other challenges to the program remaining viable will
always be present.
only been a couple of years so the youngsters involved still recall
St. Helena having a program even if it was beyond the glory
years. The other challenges to the program remaining viable will
always be present.
I have long contended that wrestling is the most physically
demanding among high school sports I have seen offered, even
more so than football. The physical nature on the mat is most
apparent but when you factor in that wrestlers are either starving
themselves to reach a lower weight class or eating like mad to
reach a higher weight class. That nutrition intake -- or lack
thereof -- must be hell on your body.
demanding among high school sports I have seen offered, even
more so than football. The physical nature on the mat is most
apparent but when you factor in that wrestlers are either starving
themselves to reach a lower weight class or eating like mad to
reach a higher weight class. That nutrition intake -- or lack
thereof -- must be hell on your body.
The best part of wrestling is that it is a sport that does not penalize
a kid for their size. The roster numbers are up now but the
sustaining of that momentum becomes important because wrestling
is not viewed as a mainstream sport. That line of thinking is because
many people cannot comprehend the nuances of the sport.
a kid for their size. The roster numbers are up now but the
sustaining of that momentum becomes important because wrestling
is not viewed as a mainstream sport. That line of thinking is because
many people cannot comprehend the nuances of the sport.
For example, even if you have never picked up a basketball in your
life, you can comprehend the following: a) Pick and roll, b) Michael
Jordan drives to the basket, gets double-teamed, passes to a wide
open Steve Kerr, who hits the 3-pointer or c) Magic Johnson lobs
the ball into the post to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. If Kareem gets double
-teamed, he’ll pass to Byron Scott for a 3-pointer. If Kareem is one-
on-one, he’ll make a move and shoot his patented sky-hook.
Whereas, most people can’t comprehend terms like: a) Single-leg
takedown, b) Reversal, c) Near fall or d) Short time.
life, you can comprehend the following: a) Pick and roll, b) Michael
Jordan drives to the basket, gets double-teamed, passes to a wide
open Steve Kerr, who hits the 3-pointer or c) Magic Johnson lobs
the ball into the post to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. If Kareem gets double
-teamed, he’ll pass to Byron Scott for a 3-pointer. If Kareem is one-
on-one, he’ll make a move and shoot his patented sky-hook.
Whereas, most people can’t comprehend terms like: a) Single-leg
takedown, b) Reversal, c) Near fall or d) Short time.
Speaking of short time, here’s hoping that wrestling’s return to St.
Helena High is anything but a short return.
Helena High is anything but a short return.
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