Clarke Central High School head varsity wrestling coach Shane McCord stands in the CCHS wrestling practice room on Nov. 8, 2023. The wrestling season started in early October 2023 and McCord was shocked by how many students showed interest in the team. “I want to say right now (the wrestling team has) the most (athletes) I’ve seen. We had 35 people come to practice on the first day. Just to be able to generate that type of number, it feels pretty good,” McCord said. Photo by Aza Khan
Sports Staffer Liya Taylor talked with CCHS head varsity and junior varsity wrestling coach Shane McCord about the 2023 wrestling season, which started in October.
Sports Staffer Liya Taylor: What does wrestling practice look like?
Head varsity wrestling coach Shane McCord: Practices typically start off with a two-mile run. That’s just a warm-up to get the sweat going and body going. (Then, we) come back inside (and) we go through drills. It’s a very hard and intense practice. We try to make it as hard as possible, just because once they get into a match, the match should be the easy part of wrestling.
LT: What is something that you think wrestling capitalizes on?
SM: Responsibility. The reason I say that is because (in) wrestling, you’re in a certain weight class and it is your job to maintain that weight all season long. We started in October (and) the season is not done until February. So if you weigh 106 (pounds) in October, you have to stay 106 (pounds) all the way to February. You got two major holidays in there, Thanksgiving and Christmas and you have to be like, ‘Nah, I can’t eat that today.’ You have to. It’s your responsibility to keep your weight under control.
“It only takes one movement. That is my philosophy, it only takes one move to beat somebody. Whatever your move may be, just wait for the (opportune) time to use that move.”
— Shane McCord,
head varsity wrestling coach
LT: What are you hoping to do differently this season compared to last year?
SM: Do more research on my (part), as far as the opponents that we’re wrestling, what they like to do (and) what they don’t like to do. Just being more focused in to the little things of wrestling. We have more coaches this year, so I can divide up some of those responsibilities more this year, (so) we really can get down to the little things.
A gallery of photos taken in the CCHS wrestling practice room on Oct. 31, 2023 are shown. The wrestling team had more coaches this season than in previous years, which allowed head varsity wrestling coach Shane McCord to invest more time into preparation. “I (hope to) do more research on my (part), as far as the opponents that we’re wrestling (this season). What they like to do (and) what they don’t like to do. Just be more focused into the little things of wrestling,’’ McCord said. Photos by Aza Khan and Liya Taylor
LT: What do you see are some weaknesses that the team has?
SM: We’re young, we’re a young team. We got a lot of first-year guys and this region that we’re in, it’s a good region for wrestling. The teams that we go against are very tough in competition. Most of them have been wrestling together since they was five years old, so that is going to be tough just because we’re so young.
LT: Being a younger team and having new players, how do you hope that you can get over that and still win?
SM: Just telling them that it only takes one movement. That is my philosophy, it only takes one move to beat somebody. Whatever your move may be, just wait for the (opportune) time to use that move. It doesn’t really matter how long you’ve been wrestling, it’s just that you are dedicated to it and you can get the results you are looking for.
