Who are some of the legends of the sport in Nebraska or some greats still now?

Two of the legends still coaching that come to mind for me are Tom McCann of Kearney and Paul Sok of Winside. Both have won state championships and both have extensive coaching experience at about any level short of the Olympics. Both have been at their respective schools longer than anyone can remember (McCann started when kids were still using the abacus to solve math problems and had to walk uphill 10 miles to get to school) and both are not only great coaches, but great people as well.

One of the things I've always enjoyed about both of these guys is not only their extensive knowledge of the sport, but some of the experiences they have had and the stories behind them. I spent a weekend at McCann's house during the NWI days, and he had us up until 2 in the morning telling us about some of his experiences wrestling and coaching at the national and international level, and they were as much fun to listen to as I'm sure it was for him telling them.

There are a number of others who fall into this category, but I thought I'd throw those two in first to get the conversation started.

Lou Miloni - Westside

Beau Hazlip-Omaha South
Jim McGrath-Ralston

Mo Tehrani of Valentine was one of the most charismatic coaches of my era (1970s).

Guy Mytty of course. And Dom Larroca was ummmm,,,, how would you put it unforgettable if you knew him

Lanny Neese (Columbus)
Kids would go through brick walls for him.
Great Coach

Rod Sones as an asst. with any of our head coaches at Rushville. Rod and Nate Urbach were great together.

Dom got me into wrestling. Growing up in Burwell, I used to want to wrestle for him so bad. He was our peewee coach and let me tell you, he was a dandy! He was known a lot of different ways by a lot of different people!

NWI,
I'd have to agree totally with your post. I had the fortune of growing up in Paul Sok's wrestling room. A person never realizes what you really have until you're not around it for awhile. He left my freshman year to go teach/coach in Maine. Luckily he came back my sophomore year. The wrestlers he has coached over the years will tell you that we are better people today for what he taught us on and off the mat. He definitely is a legend in this sport for his accomplishments but his impact on us, his wrestlers, is far more reaching than any trophy, medal or ring can represent. Also, he is an unbeleivable teacher. Thats something a lot of people don't know. Btw he was national coach of the year in 2006. I'm sure McCann's wrestlers would say the same about him.

voycheske-ogallala
hall-alliance

Rich Touney and Rod Powell, Syracuse

1977-1981 for Coach Touney.

From before I knew wrestling was a sport until present for Coach Powell. I believe he is related to Father Time.

What can I say, without their guidance and inspiration I would not have lasted on the mat. Heck, it took three years for me to just get up to 98 lbs. I was never great, however I enjoyed the sport tremendously.

With that said, they gave me the sickness, it is like a plague that can't be cured. Bottomline, my sons are wrestlers because of these two men. I am more than grateful that they took a chance on a little shrimp walking down the hall back in 1977 and put him on the mat. Without it, I have no idea what my sons would be doing today.

Go Rockets!!

LG

Randy Kliment- Creighton

A hall of famer!! Was told many great wrestling stories about Randy from my father and cousins, who all wrestled for him!!!!

Dave Boyd-Norfolk High School


My first wrestling coach!! I feel that Dave sometimes gets forgotten in the Nebraska wrestling community!! So this is a reminder of just some of the great things Dave has done for us all!!

Starting out his career at Niobrara County High School in Lusk, Wyoming in the ‘60s where he was a 4 yr. career man in football, wrestling, track and Legion baseball he came to Chadron State College, lucky for Nebraska, where he was a varsity wrestler 4 yrs at 118/126 lbs. And best news of all - he stayed in Nebraska!! He coached at Bridgeport for 2 years and then came to Norfolk in 1975 where he has racked up 26 years of experience Dave can proudly claim a dual meet record of 170-46-2 with 78 invitational, conference and district championships or runner-up titles. He has had 68 Nebraska State High School Wrestling Tournament Medalists . His teams have been rated in the Top Five Dual Teams four times by the NSWCA in their wrestling ratings: 1st in ‘88 and ‘95 and 2nd in ‘87 and ‘90. He has also coached 4 Nebraska Freestyle Teams to Europe and Asia: Iran in ‘78, and Germany in ‘80, ‘81, and ‘83. He is the founder of the Norfolk Youth Wrestling Club

I don't think you could possibly leave out...

Chuck Deter-Gering...who coached Bulldogs to longest dual win streak in the Nation.

Pat Cullen-Alliance

Dale Bonge-Albion/Boone Central

Another on the all-time greatest assistant list...Dobson-Alliance.

And no, I'm not gong to mention my old man...that would be biased...someone else will have to do that

I can't believe no one has named Norm Manstedt of Clarks, then High Plains. Where are you Blue Bombers and Storm?

I was fortunate to work with a lot of the coaches named here when I was coming up in the newspaper biz and, eventually, when I started NWI. I have a tremendous amount of respect for a lot of the names listed above based on past experience with them.

I'll tell you what...you get people like Miloni, Manstedt, Kliment, Bonge, Sok, McCann and some of the others together and start sharing "war stories" -- you could probably write a very big book about the sport in Nebraska.

Nate Urbach rushville
rod sones not one to sneeze at as well

Wofford from Aurora.

Brian Hagan - Sunrise Middle School, Kearney



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DEADLINE 2/24/09

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