Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association

AJ Cooper finished his career at Ft. Hays State University as a two-time All-American. Those accomplishments earned him 2022 KWCA Senior Wrestler of the Year honors. Cimarron High School Head Coach Lance Walker and Forth Hays State University Head Coach Erik Wince also join in.

Listen in as Marty Verhaeghe recounts his career; which ended in March with All-American honors for the Ft. Hays State University Tigers. Verhaeghe's high school coach, Cody Parks and his college coach, Eric Wince also join in.

Longtime Burlington High School Head Coach Doug Vander Linden was laid to rest yesterday after a long battle with cancer and other complications. Doug was loved and respected throughout the state and known nationally for his work on policy and promotion of the sport of wrestling. Most recently, he was instrumental in helping the Kansas State high School Athletic Association to sanction girls wrest...

2021 KWCA Hall of Fame inductee speeches; 2:00 – Rick Langerot, 6:10 - Wayne Petterson, 41:20 – Bob Gonzales. 

Todd Kahler - 2021 KWCA Official of the Year

Jared Simma has some impressive credentials... 4X Fargo All-American, 4X State Finalist and 2X Champ, Folkstyle National Champion. It is no surprise that the UNI Panther recruit is the 2021 Dave Schultz Award winner for the state of Kansas.

Coach Laughlin has spent his entire thirty year career at Junction City Middle School. The program is know for its large roster size and for its consistent success.

Knect has been one of the most recognized female wrestlers in the State of Kansas for several years. She finished with two State Titles and a 66-0 record for the past two seasons.

Coach Wince is entering his second season as Head Coach for the Tigers. He will be taking a session at this year's fall clinic.

Meet Gus Davis... The guy won a State Championship on a torn ACL! That's only part of this young man's story. Get fill in on what the Grandview University freshman is up to.

Most know Bushnell as the nine-time State Championship coach of the Seaman Baseball program. After twenty-two season, he stepped in to a new role, that of Athletic Director at Seaman. The 2012 KWCA Middle School Coach of the Year and State Medalist during his high school days at Sumner Academy, used his strong wrestling background to launch the Girls program at Seaman in 2020-21.

Nobody works harder at it than Baldwin's Kit Harris! The Head Coach of the 2021 D2 State Championship team adds that title to the Boys 4A title from 2015. For his efforts, he has been named 2021 KWCA D2 Coach of the Year.

With Gold on both the Boys and Girls side, it was State Title #3 for Washburn Rural and its Head Coach, Damon Parker. The former 2X State Champion at Manhattan High School has been named the 6A Coach of the Year for the Boys and the Kansas Coaches Association Coach of the Year, essentially as the overall COY for the State in the sport of Wrestling for the 2020-21 season.

The newly minted Head Coach at Friends University will be presenting at the 2021 KWCA Fritz Knorr Fall Clinic. The Holton native was coaching at Wayland Baptist in Texas prior to his appointment at Friends.

Brett Means of Goddard High School won his tenth State Championship at the helm of the Lions program in 2021. He is the KWCA 5A Coach of the Year. His history includes a State Championship for Goddard, an All-American finish at Labette Community College (the first in the program's history), and an All-American finish at the NCAA D2 level at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville. He was an assistant on th...

The Andale Wrestling program is a force year in and year out. They have four State Championships to their credit, but before the 2021 Title had not won one since 2012. Coach Eck comes on to talk about the Title and jumping in to the high school heading coaching position.

Rick Langerot was named to the KWCA Hall of Fame in 2020, but due to the pandemic the recognition banquet was cancelled. Listen in as the Hall of Famer recollects on a four-decades long career in the sport.

Coach Pete is entering the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame! Listen as he recaps his career.

Bob Gonzales spent 44 years in the corner. His longevity and accolades are impressive. Hear from the 2021 KWCA Hall of Fame inductee!

Meet Coach Troy Nickerson, Head Coach at the University of Northern Colorado. He will serve as the headliner for the 2021 Fritz Knorr Fall Clinic

KWCA President Doug Vander Linden joins the program to talk about the upcoming 2021 Fritz Knorr Fall Clinic

NCAA D2 Senior College Wrestler of the Year, Bailey Kelly, joins the program. Before Bailey jumps on, hear from his college coach, the legendary Mike Denney 

Meet 2021 Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association Senior Wrestler of the Year for the NAIA, Colby Johnson. The 2017 Burlington High School graduate translated his success in high school to greater success at the national level at Baker University. Also hear from Baker Head Coach, Cody Garcia.

Logan Treaster finished his time at the US Naval Academy as a 2021 EIWA Runner-up and NCAA Qualifier. The 2021 Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association NCAA D1 Senior Wrestler of the Year will be continuing his studies in Medical School at the University of Kansas.

Join in on the 2020 KWCA Fritz Knorr Virtual Fall Clinic! President Doug Vander Linden of Burlington High School will fill you in on the line-up and how to get registered.