Coach Chase Pami
Pictures Courtesy of Chase Pami
My name is Chase Pami and I was born in Las Vegas, Nevada. Sports have always been a part of my life. I played several sports growing up including: soccer, gymnastics, judo, football, and wrestling. I also was pretty good at skateboarding, still to this day I can do many tricks. I saw a lot of success in Judo and figured that would my path forward. I was National Champion in Judo and multiple time National Placer. However, it was wrestling that eventually became my primary sport. My Mom valued education and believed wrestling was the best path forward to get an education.
Throughout Middle and High School I continued as a multisport athlete playing football, running track, cross country, and wrestling. Wrestling was always my passion! The hard work and mental toughness it took to compete always appealed to me. All my efforts in High School paid off with a scholarship to wrestle Division 1 at Cal Poly. College offered me the opportunity to wrestle at a high level but also challenge my personal growth. I learned to manage the academic load coupled with the highs and lows of wrestling. Finding success on and off the mat in college took a lot of discipline, accountability, and persistence. I was able to become a 2X All- American and become Nevada’s First Division 1 Finalist. I earned my degree in Communication Studies.
Post College I spent 9 years competing for Team USA and travelling around the world. I was a multiple time placer at the US Open and World Team Trials. I was also on several World Cup Teams. I also coached 5 years at the Division Level, 1 year for the United States Air Force Academy and 4 years for the University of Pennsylvania. The experience gained from competing and coaching has equipped me to operate Gold Rush Wrestling Academy.
Gold Rush was a dream of mine for many years prior to it being launched. I believed Las Vegas and Nevada needed a high-level training facility specifically for wrestling. Gold Rush has been able to provide that next level training coupled with personal development. The focus on just wrestling is detrimental to an athlete’s development. I believe that greater vision for academics, personal development, and service are key ingredients to nurturing an athlete’s full potential. A wrestler may have phenomenal skill and talent, but without other pillars to uphold them, they miss reaching their full potential.
When athletes have those pillars, they can now reap the benefits of success on the mat. Over the last 8 years we have seen plenty of great wrestlers, but I intend to see us double or triple that as a state. To achieve these goals, wrestlers must be willing to not only attend and compete in the big tournaments but grow with each one. There must be a commitment to intentional reflection and action post tournament, regardless of the result. Athletes must hold themselves accountable and realize they are not a finished product. I believe Nevada athletes suffer from a false sense of success and fail to realize there is always another level.
Nevada is a work in progress and in due time will reach new heights. I believe the athletes in our state are attending the tough tournaments and seeing different competition. We have kids at all levels placing at Tier 1 competitions including: Tulsa Nationals, Reno Worlds, Virginia Beach, and Fargo. Those tournaments are important in the development of our athletes. I believe, in time, Nevada will see new levels of success on the mat.