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A Letter to Mountaineer Nation
February 24, 2016 04:01 PM | Wrestling
Dear Mountaineer Nation,
It has been an honor and a privilege to have been a member of the West Virginia University Wrestling team for the past four years. Growing up in southern West Virginia, it was a dream of mine to don the Gold and Blue singlet. I am blessed to have had that dream become a reality for me. During my tenure with the team, we have experienced some hard losses as well as had a taste of great success. I have been fortunate to be a part of a team this season that will change the culture of West Virginia Wrestling. A cultural change that will help shift us toward the upper tier of the Big 12 Conference and the country, as well as impact young men to come through the program in the future.
During my first two seasons with the program, we struggled with the difficulties of joining the Big 12 Conference as well as the stress brought on by Division I wrestling. We managed to have several wrestlers qualify for NCAAs during those first two years, and even put our first wrestler in the Big 12 Championship Finals. We also posted a victory over 25th-ranked Indiana during the 2013-14 campaign. After that season, the administration decided it was time for a change in direction for our program. Oliver Luck and Terri Howes made a decision that would change my life, as well as this program’s trajectory, when they hired Sammie Henson to be our new coach.
“Consistency Wins.”
That is the philosophy Coach Henson brought with him when he came to Morgantown. You have to be consistent not only in your training and wrestling, but you must be consistent in your everyday life. You must give more than you take as a member of society and always do the right things. Whether it is showing up to practice on time, or turning in a school assignment prior to its due date, in the end, it all adds up. Being consistent in athletics and life will help you cross over the bridge of success. Success may not come how you imagined it, but it will come. Coach Henson has instilled in our program a tenacious work ethic. The first time I heard him say run six miles on the track, I have to admit I immediately felt a rush of nervousness over take me. But as I continued, and eventually finished, I was amazed that I actually did it. That is what makes Coach Henson such a good coach; he will give you an impossible number of shots, sprints, or pull-ups that you at first think you cannot do it. But moments later, once you’ve finished, you realize just how far and hard you can push yourself. Coach gets the most out of his athletes, and I believe that will amount to a lot of success in the near future.
During Sammie’s first two years here, we have seen a resurgence in our team. With a newfound philosophy and work ethic, we were bound to have success. Much of this success has provided me with numerous memories I will cherish forever. On December 20, 2014, the team was able to get Coach Henson’s first career dual meet win with a victory over Lock Haven 23-12. In the early months of 2015, we entered the top 25 rankings for the first time in many years. We have upset highly-ranked Pitt teams the last two years as well! We also developed a new rivalry with rising program Arizona State. Led by former WVU assistant Zeke Jones, the Sun Devils will battle it out with the Mountaineers for years to come as each program climbs its way up to the top. When it comes to my favorite memories during my time as a WVU wrestler, nothing tops Zeke Moisey’s 2015 NCAA tournament. Watching our teammate work through the 125-pound bracket as unseeded true freshman was inspiring to each and every one of us. We went from winning a few matches at NCAAs, to having someone in the NCAA Finals in what seemed like a blink of an eye. Seeing the internet, social media, and wrestling outlets explode with excitement for Zeke, Coach Henson, and our program is a memory I definitely will always remember.
To Mountaineer fans, alumni and future Mountaineers, thank you for all your support of West Virginia Wrestling. Success is coming our way - just be patient. To all the young wrestlers and athletes reading this, work hard and never give up! A wise strength coach once told me, “It’s all about the journey.” The path you choose to take will shape the person you end up being. You want to be the one teammates, coaches and teachers can count on. Work hard and never stray away from your dreams. Good things will happen! To the coaching staff and athletic department, thank you for letting a young man from a small AA school in West Virginia proudly represent his state. Mountaineer fans take note, West Virginia Wrestling is on the rise. We just had third-best recruiting class in the nation come in this season, and as continue to improve each day in the practice room. Getting to the top won’t be easy, but with our coaching staff we will get there. The team will need your support along the way as well. As a Mountaineer Family, we will get there together. To the next group of Mountaineer wrestlers coming in, get used to these famous words, “Get your running shoes on.”
Best,
Chris Nelson
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