Starting this November, there will be a familiar face coaching the varsity boys wrestling team at Oxford High School.
Scott Couch, a freshman science teacher at OHS, was named head coach last week for the Grapplers after former head coach Paul McDevitt threw in his coaching hat to become the assistant principal at the school.
Couch has spent the last five years as assistant coach for the team in Oxford, coached wrestling at Oxford Middle School for one year and was also head coach for the varsity wrestling team at Pontiac Northern for three years.
He decided to take the head coaching position so as not to ‘disrupt a very good program? by bringing an unfamiliar face in to coach.
‘It’s just one of those things where the program was very strong and I wanted to make sure it stayed strong,? Couch said.
What’s even more special about coaching the varsity team this year is that Couch coached the returning seniors when they were in middle school.
‘We’ve got eight seniors that I know are coming back out and I want to make that transition as smooth as possible,? Couch said. ‘It wasn’t fair to them to have somebody new (coach) and make big changes their senior year.?
Couch said he enjoys coaching wrestling because it creates ‘unique individuals.?
‘It gives leadership and shows self-worth,? he said. ‘It’s the one sport you have to be mentally and physically strong.?
The boys wrestling season runs from November until March, which really tests the physical endurance of the team, according to Couch.
‘So many other sports you don’t punish your bodies as much as we do,? he said.
Because there are so many boys in different grades on the wrestling team, this fall he’s expecting 40 to 45, Couch said they become a ‘close-knit group of people.?
‘With all of the hard work that we do, they have no choice but to be close,? he said. ‘We’re solid and competitive and I think that makes a big difference for the entire program.?