From Fall to Fall


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From Fall to Fall - By Larry Walker and Todd Warner

     As I watched the college and professional football games this past season, it was hard not to notice the number of players at both levels who had wrestling backgrounds. I asked the question, "Is there any correlation between excellence on the football field and a background in wrestling?" Without hesitation and with plenty of personal experience, I answered that question with, "You bet there is!"
     I competed in football and wrestling at Bellefonte High School during the 1980's. I was very fortunate to have experienced success in both sports. I won the District 6-AAA wrestling championship as a senior and advanced deep into the PIAA tournament. However, I received most of my recognition in high school as a football player. My senior year I was named the District 6-AAA Defensive Most Valuable Player; and helped my team to championships in both the Big 8 and Central Counties' Conferences. I remained dedicated to both sports in college. At Lock Haven University, I competed against some of the nation's and the world's top heavyweight wrestlers. Twice I qualified for the NCAA Division 1 Championships. On the football field, I was twice named to preseason All-America teams. Then, in 1992, I was selected as an All-American at the inside linebacker position. When I graduated from Lock Haven, three school records that still stand left with me. They are:
            Most tackles in a game (29)
            Most tackles in a season (189)
            Most tackles in a career (526)
      I attribute all the success I had on the football field to my experiences as a wrestler. I didn't realize this until after my eighth grade year when my future high school coach John Wetzler pulled me off the basketball court and asked me a very important question. He simply asked, "How far do you want to go in football?" I replied, "I want to play college football someday." Without hesitation, Coach Wetzler responded with, "If that's what you want, you'd better trade in that basketball for a headgear." I listened to his advice and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
     Why is wrestling crucial to success in other sports such as football? In the following paragraphs, I have listed three specific reasons. Then, to provide illustration, I have listed many standout football players who benefited greatly from their experiences in wrestling. So, to all those high school athletes who are walking around the halls focusing solely on football; read this carefully and then----- WAKE UP!!
1) Wrestling teaches things that are difficult to coach; such as body position and maintaining angles.
    At some point in your football career, you'll meet an opponent who is bigger, stronger, and faster than you are. It doesn't matter if you're on the offensive or defensive side of the football. If you play the game long enough, you'll find out that it's true. If you plan to directly take on an individual who possesses those superior physical characteristics, you'll find out the hard way! I feel that I qualify as somewhat of an expert in this area. When you are an inside linebacker on a college football team, every Saturday afternoon you meet somebody who is your "physical superior." I used skills learned in wrestling to enable me to successfully win those battles against bigger, stronger, and faster opponents. Tactics and skills such as staying low, changing levels, and setting up your opponent were techniques I learned on the mat and implemented on the football field with tremendous success. Although wrestling is divided into weight classes, it is very rare that a wrestler steps onto the mat to compete with an opponent equal in strength, quickness, and overall athletic ability. This comparison is reason number one why football players can and should benefit from wrestling.
2) Wrestling teaches you how to fight off opponents or (blockers or tacklers).
    Generally, football is considered to be more of a team sport than wrestling. However, there are just as many one-on-one battles that take place on the football field as there are on the wrestling mat. In football, you engage your opponent by actually trying to tie him up; exactly as you would on the wrestling mat. Wrestling taught me how to get out of tie-up situations in which I was uncomfortable. The numerous set-ups I learned in the matroom combined with the knowledge of how to use an opponent's weight and motion against him led me to constantly improve the number and intensity of tackles I made.
3) Wrestling teaches you to stay one or two moves ahead of your opponent:
     Across Pennsylvania, wrestling coaches emphasize the importance of "chain wrestling." Simply put, this means constantly put two, three, or four moves together in a non-stop series. It's not any different in the sport of football. Chain wrestling skills helped me to better read opposing offenses and to successfully react to changing situations without actually "thinking" about doing it. These skills helped me to get to the point of attack much quicker and achieve great success with one of the most important, yet least publicized statistics in football: Tackles for loss (or tackles behind the line-of-scrimmage).
     Wrestling can only help to improve your football skills and success. The following list represents some football players who also had their day on the wrestling mats. It's a list that I quickly put together and there are certainly hundreds more who could be added to it.

Larry Walker is the head wrestling coach at Bellefonte Area High School. Todd Warner was an assistant on the Bellefonte staff at the time that this article was published.

THE Big 34 List

Pennsylvania Success on the Mat and on the Gridiron

1) Kenny Walker-Twin brother of author; 3rd in PIAA tournament; 2-time NCAA Division 1 qualifier at Lock Haven University; Preseason Football All-America selection.

2) William George---Two time PIAA champ at Waynesburg High; Chicago Bear star and member of Pro Football Hall-of-Fame.

3) Jim Nance---Two time PIAA champ at Indiana High; Two time NCAA champ at Syracuse; All-America running back at Syracuse; AFL star with Boston Patriots.

4) Dr. David Joyner----PIAA champ at State College High; NCAA Runner-up at Penn State; co-captain of 1971 PSU team that beat Texas (30-6) in Cotton Bowl; Consensus All-America tackle.

5) George Atiyeh---Two time PIAA champ at Allentown Dieruff High; college wrestling and football All-American at Louisiana State University.

6) Leo Wisniewski---PIAA champ at Fox Chapel High; All-American defensive tackle and Fiesta Bowl Most Valuable Player at Penn State.

7) Mike Reid---Wrestled at Altoona High; was a successful walk-on for Penn State at heavyweight; All-American on two undefeated PSU football teams; Outland Trophy Winner; All-Pro with Cincinnati Bengals; legendary song-writer in Nashville.

8) Brad Benson---PIAA champ at Altoona High; football star at Penn State and with New York Giants.

9) Troy Benson---Wrestling standout at Altoona High; Football star with University of Pittsburgh and New York Jets.

10) Art Baker---Two time PIAA champ at Erie Academy High; NCAA champ at Syracuse; Football star on Syracuse's unbeaten national championship team.

11) Steve Sefter---Two time PIAA Runner-up and Two time PIAA champ at Cedar Cliff High; NCAA wrestling All-American as a freshman at Penn State; star football defensive end that shutdown Georgia's Herschel Walker in Penn State's Sugar Bowl win for national title.

12) Bill Fralic----Wrestling standout at Penn Hills High; greatest football lineman in history at Pitt; one of only four Pitt players with jersey retired; All-Pro with Atlanta Falcons.

13) Dr. James Blacksmith---PIAA champ at Cedar Cliff High; NCAA champ at Lock Haven University; football star in H. S. & college.

14) Woody Thompson---PIAA champ at Erie East High; outstanding running back for University of Miami Hurricanes; rugged NFL running back with Atlanta Falcons.

15) Robert Sacavage---PIAA champ and All-state football player at Mount Carmel High; wrestled for Columbia University.

16) Charles DeGraffenreid-Wysocki---PIAA champ at Wilkes-Barre Meyers High; Big 33 running back in football; rushed for over 1,000 in 3 different seasons for University of Maryland.

17) Larry Suhey---Two time PIAA champ at State College High; Big 33 football standout and Penn State football player.

18) Dr. Paul Suhey----PIAA champ at State College High; All-State in football; co-captain of 11-0 1978 Penn State football team that played for national title in Sugar Bowl against Alabama.

19) Matt Suhey---Standout wrestler at State College High; Three time football All-State; Four-Year starter as running back for Penn State; NFL star for a decade with Chicago Bears.

20) Carlton Haselrig---PIAA champ at Johnstown High (without school having a team); won 6 NCAA wrestling championships (3 each in Division I and II) at University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown--- more than anyone in history; signed by Pittsburgh Steelers in 12th round (no college football); All-Pro in 2nd year of football.

21) Bill Neill---PIAA champ at Perkiomen Valley High; All-State Football player; All-American lineman for University of Pittsburgh; solid NFL career.

22) John Flannery----PIAA champ at Pottsville High; All-State football player; All-American football (center) at Syracuse.

23) Ray Zellars---wrestled for newly created program at Pittsburgh's Oliver High; advanced to regional tournament; superb running back at Notre Dame.

24) Dennis Atiyeh---PIAA champ at Allentown Dieruff High; outstanding defensive lineman at University of Pittsburgh.

25) David Armstrong---Three time Southeast Regional champ and PIAA Runner-up at Central Bucks West High; High school football All-American; currently playing for football for the University of Michigan.

26) Kurt Angle---PIAA champ at Mount Lebanon High; Two time NCAA champ at Clarion University; Olympic Gold Medalist; All-State high school football player.

27) Coy Wire---PIAA Runner-up at Cedar Cliff High; currently star football player at Stanford University.

28) Rick Gilliam---PIAA champ at Big Spring High; Big 33 football player; currently playing football for West Virginia University.

29) Vince Pellis---Outstanding wrestler at Greensburg-Salem High; Big 33 football player; standout lineman for Temple Owls.

30) Tim Scannell---District 6 and Northwest Region runner-up at State College High; High School football All-American; 3-year starter at offensive guard for Notre Dame in 1980's.

31) Kirk Stehman---Two time PIAA champ at Shamokin High; outstanding football player who pursued that sport in college (running back).

32) Ray Huckestein----PIAA heavyweight place-winner at North Allegheny High School; All-Pac 10 Conference defensive lineman at Stanford University.

33) Matt Neenan---PIAA champ at Williamsport High; High School football All-American; played football for Syracuse University.

34) Ed Flanagan---All Pro center for Detroit Lions; wrestled at Altoona High School and Purdue University