[Hoot Gibson]

Wrestling builds linemen. Not football players in general. Ever watch lifelong wrestlers run sprints? Generally their stride is shortened significantly. They develop great burst explosiveness, but its very different type of athleticism. I think fast twitch athletes need to be very careful about wrestling. Work extra hours on speed, agility and sprinting form during the wrestling season. Every DT and OL should be encouraged to wrestle if not participating in other spring sports. Mayfield kids almost never wrestle. They have 12 state titles in football.

That has not been Johnson Central's experience. J.J. Jude, the state's all time rushing leader, was a state wrestling champion, as were many of JC's best skill players during the Matney era. Quickness, agility, endurance, and balance are as important, if not more so, for wrestlers as for any other athletes. Before Coach Matney came to Johnson Central, he built a strong wrestling program at Sheldon Clark to feed a successful program there too.