Matthew Buckno/ Wrestling Coach

When you’re prepping to be out from coaching for the next few weeks because of a hip replacement surgery and struggling to keep your OWN head up,… and one of your wrestlers makes it a point to have their dad drive out of his way to show up on your doorstep to personally give you your Xmas gift. Coaching isn’t about gold medals, accolades, or worst of all,… money. It’s about getting one kid out of 1000 to finally believe in himself and stand up straight and tall with pride. And finally realize, “I can do this!!!” That fleeting moment is what makes all the yelling and screaming and eye rolls worth it. Even knowing you’ll be an afterthought years down the road. It’s worth it. It’s so worth it. Thank you Jeremy and thank you Vonn for taking the time out of your evening to stop by coach’s house and wish him luck on his surgery and giving him a gift that is beyond appreciated. Keep plugging away kid. The world is yours. All you gotta do is buck up and go take what’s yours. I already believe in you. Now,… go out there and believe in yourself.

💥💥💥 SATURDAY SASSO CLINIC 💥💥💥
Open to ALL 708 wrestlers. fundamentals and intermediate. Don’t miss out!!!! Here’s the information:
9/27 Saturday Morning SASSO Clinic/ 601 building
11AM - 1PM (Ages 6+)
Cost $20 for all wrestlers (including members)
Cash Or Venmo
Please Arrive at 10:45AM.

🚨 ‼️ 🚨 DON’T MISS OUT 🚨 ‼️ 🚨
Grab your limited time Steel Valley swag before the online store closes out!

https://amptstudio.chipply.com/store.aspx?eid=422421&apid=17850627t

amptstudio.chipply.com

Zahid Valencia (2x NCAA Champion, ASU) securing his first World Title. Not with a fancy move at the last second. But, with an attention to detail of the basics the entire way through the match. Coaches, on ALL levels, if you don’t have the time or the patience to teach the basics of the BASICS over and over and over and over and OVER again,… do yourself and the next generation a favor and step away from the table. The sport of wrestling itself is so basic and so simplistic. It’s repitition of the BASICS. How are you able to do what you do? (Question posed to Kobe Bryant on an ESPN interview) Kobe: “Because no matter how many championships I win, each and every practice I focus on the baiscs of what I learned in elementary school. An understanding of the basics allows me to be great.” I’ll say it again for those sitting in the back,… BASICS WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS.

Zahid VALENCIA (USA) vs. Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) | WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2025 | Gold Medal | FS 86Kg Zahid VALENCIA (USA) vs. Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) | WORLD WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS 2025 | Gold Medal | FS 86Kg

Not a bad Sunday morning for a few of our Steel Valley Savages! We racked up some wins. Learned from some losses. Got some mat time. Even earned some hardware. And most importantly, win or lose, we went to war 👊🏼💥

Douglas “Sunny D” Miller helping assist during tonight’s fundamental practice 👊🏼💥

Cameron “Cowboy Cam” Mcgaughran at one of the military recruitment tents at Musikfest testing his mettle with his plank skills. He ended up erasing the old plank record and is now the current holder of the longest plank. His response to the recruiters, “This is easy. I’m a Steel Valley wrestler.” Hell of job cowboy cam! 👊🏼💥

Day 3 for 708 is in the books. These young savages are already growing stronger and becoming more focused on the grind. One more to go gents. Keep pushing 👊🏼💥

Coach Ahmir leading by example and showing the little ones just how important it is to rest and conserve your energy any chance you get 🤣👊🏼💥