The Wrestling Insider owner and operator, and also friend of mine Mike Houston is doing a comprehensive study on why athletes decide to discontinue their time in wrestling before their senior year of high school.
To help Mike out, I'm going to go back to my time in wrestling from 7th grade through 12th grade and find out who all decided not to continue their wrestling careers and why that wrestled for Sigourney junior high and/or high school. The information I post is accurate to my knowledge. If you have something to change or add, feel free to let me know.
1999-2000 High School
Mackenzie Kerr - Wrestled freshman and sophomore year, I believe he decided not to wrestle his junior and senior year because he wasn't into it anymore.
Ben Wohler - Wrestled from elementary all the way through his junior year. Very good wrestler. Lost a 3-1 sudden victory match to the state champ of the next year. Wasn't crazy about the varsity coach and wanted to concentrate on football senior year.
Trevor Rash - Wrestled from elementary all the way through junior year. Was junior varsity all the way through time in high school. Believe decided not to wrestle senior year because he would be behind someone again at 215 lbs.
Adam Clark - I believe started wrestling as a freshman. Got in trouble for drinking summer before senior year and was not allowed to wrestle.
1998-1999 Junior High
Alan Buehneman - Wrestled in 8th grade and started wrestling in 9th grade I believe. Got hurt and wasn't able to continue. Didn't wrestle again after that.
Aaron Gould - Was back and forth between wrestling and basketball his whole life. Wrestled part of freshman year, played basketball sophomore year and then wrestled until he got hurt his junior year. Senior year did neither.
Jamie Grover - Wrestled all the way up through junior high. Pretty good wrestler. Not sure why he didn't wrestle in high school.
Chris Sellers - Wrestled from elementary all the way through freshman year of high school. Believe a series of injuries caught up to him and ended his wrestling career.
Matt Seiren - Wrestled and played basketball throughout elementary and junior high. Was good at both. Chose basketball.
Mike White - Wrestling was an exploratory event for him for a few years. Wasn't for him.
Nate Goldman - Wrestling was an exploratory event for him for a few years. Wasn't for him.
Jeff Follman - Wrestled throughout elementary and junior high. Was very good. Didn't like the high school coach though and decided not to wrestle in high school.
1999-2000 High School
Tim Fritchen - Began wrestling as a freshman. Tragically we lost Tim in an accident the summer before his sophomore year.
Keith McLaughlin - Wrestled from elementary through junior year of high school. Wasn't crazy about the head coach. Decided not to wrestle senior year.
Brad McDonald - was a foster kid. Not sure whatever happened to him.
1999-2000 Junior High
Neil Wehr - Decided to try wrestling in junior high. Wasn't for him.
Andrew Sirovy - started wrestling in 7th grade. Didn't wrestle senior year because he graduated early.
Dylan Patterson - Wanted to try wrestling. Wasn't for him.
Josh Cavanaugh - Stated wrestling in 7th grade. Real natural. Was beating kids who had been wrestling for years his first year. Wrestled up through freshman year. Was very strong for his size. Believe he may have moved to Texas too.
Eric McDonald - was a foster kid. Not sure whatever happened to him.
Chris Thompson - Boxed and wrestled throughout school. Decided to quit wrestling to concentrate on boxing career. 2005 138 lbs Iowa boxing state champion.
2000-2001 High School
Tommy Fowler - Started wrestling sophomore year as a means to stay in shape for football. Senior year decided midway through season he wanted to concentrate on other areas of his life.
2000-2001 Junior High
Taylor Herman - Have no idea
Adam Pence - wrestled from junior high up through midway through his sophomore year. Broke his arm and never came back.
Tylor Pence - Didn't wrestle in 5th grade, wrestled in 6th. Didn't wrestle in 7th grade, wrestled in 8th. Never wrestled again after that. I was one year ahead of him in school.
Gerad Clinghan - Didn't wrestle senior year. Not 100% sure why.
Joe Wilson - Wrestled from junior high up through sophomore year. Believe got in trouble with the law and may have served some time.
2001-2002 High School
All on team not previously mentioned, wrestled through senior year.
2001-2002 Junior High
Randall Sellers - Wrestled in junior high. Wasn't crazy about high school coach and decided not to wrestle in high school.
Buzz Black - Explored wrestling for a while. Wasn't for him.
Blaine Mateer - Exceptionally good basketball player. Simply tried wrestling for the fun of it.
Greg Sellers - Another good basketball player that wrestled in junior high because you could do both.
Dan Brubaker - Very, very strong kid. Would have been a good wrestler but was already working at a young age. Don't believe he did any sports in high school.
Shane Reed - Older half brother was a state champion in Texas. Tried wrestling. Wasn't for him.
2002-2003 High School
All those not previously mentioned wrestled through senior year of high school
2002-2003 Junior High
Dillon Hammes - Another good natural wrestler from a start in seventh grade. Not sure why he didn't wrestle beyond junior high.
Josh Schwind - Believe did both basketball and wrestling in junior high. Believe he chose basketball in high school.
Spencer Myers - Tried wrestling. Wasn't for him.
Spencer Bates - Tried wrestling. Wasn't for him.
Marc Gammick - His dad told him that after trying wrestling in seventh grade, Marc felt his was too small to continue wrestling. Was a very small kid. I want to say he weighed maybe 75 lbs as an eighth grader.
2003-2004 High School
All those not previously mentioned wrestled through senior year of high school
2003-2004 Junior High
Stephen Olson - Very good wrestler that wrestled in 7th and 8th grade. Natural thrower. Was a master at the headlock. Have no idea why he didn't wrestle beyond 8th grade.
Trevor Taghon - believe injuries got the best of Trevor and put an end to his wrestling career.
Daniel Olson - Not as good as his brother Stephen, but still decent. Again, not sure why he didn't wrestle beyond junior high.
Kyle Thompson - Tried wrestling in junior high. Wasn't for him.
Matt Snakenberg - Good little scrapper. Would have been good in high school, but I believe he wasn't crazy about the high school coach.
And there you have it. 43 athletes that decided to discontinue their wrestling careers before their senior year was through.
2 injuries
5 wasn't crazy about coach
5 lost to basketball
9 tried wrestling but wasn't for them
And the rest is sort of a mystery.
There you have it Mike.
Hope this helps with your overall project.
