Summer is a vital time for athletic programs, and those at Gilmer High continue to make the best use if it.
One of the programs that takes advantage of the offseason is GHS wrestling. The Bobcats have a rich winning heritage of 19 team state championships, but even the best make changes. Head coach Josh Ghobadpoor and his staff held four practices per week over a four-week span, which concluded June 28.
“We did it a little different this year,” Ghobadpoor said. “Some years we’ve gone to Disney Duals, we’ve gone to four-day away camps but we kind of did it in-house this year. We’re trying to get that commitment built back up with our kids of just coming in and getting better. We’re trying to make it a little easier on them and our coaches in some regard. I think it was very productive.
“It’s one thing when you have a team that is very experienced and you can go to these big events and you get a lot of benefit out of live matches. This summer, we had to dial it back a little bit and work on fundamentals and get our arsenal of moves in place. We’ve had more coaches to work with this summer so we’re getting new techniques and ideas.”
Ghobadpoor noted the staff is constantly “brainstorming” techniques for certain situations in an attempt to prepare wrestlers for anything they may face.
A new part of that process is assistant coach Caleb Waddell. He joined the staff over the summer and brings a wealth of knowledge to the mat. Waddell is a GHS alum, and he was a three-time state finalist and two-time champ for the Bobcats.
He went on to wrestle at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga, though his collegiate career was cut short by a rash of serious injuries.
“He comes in from the Division I level and has worked with guys all across the country, and he’s refined his skill set,” Ghobadpoor said. “Now we’re adding a whole new technical side to things. He’s been phenomenal this offseason working with the guys.”
The Bobcats did travel some though not as extensively as years past. They made the short trip north for matches at Fannin County High School. Gilmer traveled to Etowah where they received more mat time, and GHS also held an intrasquad match. Ghobadpoor estimated they wrestled around 15 matches versus other teams.
A typical practice day at the Noah Harris Center lasted two hours. Time was spent focusing on technique and live wrestling. Gilmer’s warm-up routine also received a tune-up. Waddell has installed warm-up aspects he learned at UTC, which has ramped up intensity significantly.
“Our kids are getting used to doing hard things,” Ghobadpoor said. “Now it’s second nature. It’s just what we do.”
Wrestlers will experience three major change when the season begins this fall. Takedowns, which were previously worth two points, are now worth three. The previous maximum points granted for a near fall were three. Wrestlers can now earn up to four points. Furthermore, wrestlers will be considered inbounds with only one point of contact of either wrestler inside or on the boundary line.
“I think they want to promote more action in matches,” Ghobadpoor said. “There is a certain pacing of a match that is more fan friendly than others. Being offensive is the mentality that we have, so I think these rules can really be beneficial to us. We like to be tough in the neutral position, and now we can get one more point out of that.
“The new inbound rules are going to change things significantly. It will probably be a lot easier to tell if they’re in or out. A lot of times you were looking at elbows and knees (for two points of contact). With those changes, we thought it was an ideal time to get our guys in the gym and really hammer down those changes and our philosophy and strategy of how we want to win matches.”
Now that Gilmer and Clear Creek Middle School share the same practice space, younger wrestlers also participated in summer wrestling with the high school. GHS wrestlers will have the remainder of the summer off before reconvening for preseason practice in October.
“It’s just felt like a great summer,” said Ghobadpoor. “Our participation was really good and we never had less than 15 at practices and events. As a coach, that’s what you want to see. You want people showing up, getting better and having that commitment to the team. If we pay our dues now, it’ll pay off in the future.
“They’re really trying to absorb what we’re coaching them to do whether it be technique or mentality. It’s just really encouraging when you see that. It’s encouraging to see where you can take a team that is willing to work hard and be coached. The best teams we’ve had here have a team-first mentality. They work hard, they’re going to get their individual accolades, but it’s all working toward that team goal and our identity. I’m really excited about what that’s looking like for us.”