Tyler Perry Bishop Gorman 2023 Update
Picture Courtesy of Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry Bishop Gorman 2023 Update
My favorite author Stephen King once wrote, “There’s no harm in hoping for the best as long as you’re prepared for the worst.” What better quote to personify the spirit of wrestling? The highest highs, the lowest lows, the ebb and flow of carnal emotion all bottled up into one sport that demands so much and promises so little. To sit in a coaching chair while one kid’s dreams get crushed, only to gather yourself momentarily and reset for the next man up is a daunting task. The risk is high and the reward is never guaranteed. I would have it no other way.
Almost two years ago, I was named Head Wrestling Coach at Bishop Gorman High School. I wrote a piece describing the desires and aspirations that the coaching staff had for the program. The state of Nevada was finally moving past Covid in some capacity and allowing a return to high school sports. While the team was not returning any State Medalists or State Qualifiers, I knew the type of sleeping giant I had on my hands as I was immediately absorbed by the school’s history and winning traditions. With over one hundred team State Championships across all sports, I noted one missing…wrestling.
The 21-22 wrestling season was a challenging experiment regarding Covid policies and the constant canceling, rescheduling, and quarantine procedures that seemed to never end. I was a new coach trying to implement a new culture amongst kids that hadn’t been on a wrestling mat in a year and half. Still employed by CCSD, I spent the first year traveling from east Vegas to Gorman daily. The season seemed like a success, as we had a top 5 team finish at the State Tournament, crowning a Freshman State Champ in Kage Mir, and five other State Medalists. We were only losing one Medalist and there was a ton of optimism about the future of the program. A week after the State Tournament in 2022, we began offseason training with a single goal in mind: 2023 Nevada 4A State Champions, emphasizing the importance of doing the little things right all the time.
Moving into the 22-23 school year, I was blessed with the opportunity to move my teaching career alongside my coaching career at Gorman. As school started there was so much excitement in the air about the big football games coming up and the looming winter sports season. Our wrestling room was packed the first week of school with beginners and experienced wrestlers alike, continuing what we had been working on all spring and summer. As the season approached, we put together a schedule that was meant to test the kids week in and week out. Once one gets into the heart of wrestling season, you really get an accurate depiction of what type of team you have. A trip to the Doc Buchanan in Clovis, CA set the tone for the remainder of the season.
As League Duals wrapped up and the PostSeason started to become a reality, the opportunity we had been working day in, day out, early morning, and late night was rapidly approaching. While instant gratification is often sought after, we stuck to our guns and took our time getting the right guys in the right spots for when it mattered most. The Regional Tournament was the first time we were at full strength this year and the kids delivered, winning our first Regional Championship, qualifying fifteen for the State Tournament. It was an exciting moment but the unsatisfied vibe in the wrestling room the following Monday told me we were really starting to believe we could win a Team Title.
The State Championships took place at Western High School on February 18th. Our first year at State, we stayed at Alexis Park Resort. The kids loved it and requested that we go back for future State Tournaments. Roger that. We all gathered in my hotel room the night before and the kids shared acknowledgements of one another and final thoughts going into their last battle together. After they went to bed, Coach D looked at me and said “They are ready to die for each other.” I felt it too.
Modifying the State Tournament down to a single day was something that I felt worked in our favor. We had traveled all season long, slept in hotels, and made weight multiple days in a row. Preparing to peak and put the version of ourselves forward was something that I thought we had done but everything is different under the lights. We started the day off hot, putting ten wrestlers into the Semi-Finals. As the Semis got underway, the notion was that we had to get 6 to 7 through to have a chance. A tall order, as we had a defending State Champ and a couple opponents who had previously beaten us.
Vincent Vogan was the first domino to “fall” (as Dominos do) as he picked up a pin and everyone else got rolling. Ryan Kuckler, a Senior qualifier, pulled off the upset of the tournament, as he beat Palo Verde’s defending State Champ 15-9 to advance to Finals. Danny Gostanian came in clutch by getting a last second Major over a guy who had pinned him in January, and he kept things moving as Alex Fonte, Kage, Mir, and Jacob Norcross dominated to earn their spots in the Finals, finding us in First Place as a Team. Through the wrestle-backs, the guys earned Five Medals with everyone winning matches to contribute to the Team Total. As we settled in for the Finals, it was clear that Palo Verde, Arbor View, and Silverado were all within striking distance of the Title. Alex Fonte started the Finals off with a 8-2 decision, claiming our First Individual Title of the night. Ryan Kuckler and Danny Gostanian fell in the Finals and my mind began doing some wrestling math.
Sitting in anticipation of the Finals Matches, Kage asks me how the team race is looking. Long story short, he realized we would probably need a pin to give us a chance. As a coach, it is your duty to make sure your athletes are best prepared and the last thing we needed was Kage hunting for a pin. The emphasis of wrestling six minutes was clear and concise, but I could tell by the look on his face that he wanted to deliver for his brothers. With just under a minute left in the match, Kage put his opponent to his back, securing a pin and officially wrapping up Bishop Gorman’s First Ever Wrestling State Championship by the smallest margin, a half point.
As the school year wraps up, I am able to reflect and take a lot of pride in our kids, the camaraderie, and the family culture that they have helped build here at Gorman. There is nowhere else I would rather be. Wrestling has been a year round venture for me for 20 plus years and that hasn’t changed since February. I am looking forward to future challenges, great opponents, and the spirit of competition that comes knocking at the door in November. Go Gaels.