THE FRONT ROW with JIM LANDERS: Hughes comes to NIC wrestling with winning attitude, Owen ties
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 1 hour AGO
This week's interview with Brendan Hughes was very enlightening.
The incoming freshman expounded on the culture that exists for the North Idaho College wrestling team.
It’s not uncommon for wrestling coaches to be disciplinarians and constant critics.
'You're loafing,' 'that’s lousy effort,' 'that’s no good,' these are the phrases often heard from wrestling coaches.
Head coach Derrick Booth and assistants Cooper Thomas and Ryan Graves have been able to instill a want-to-win attitude amongst the team. If you are trying to travel at half speed through practice you will hear it from teammates that behavior as such is not acceptable and that you need to pick up the pace.
Interesting culture that seems to be embraced by the team, from what Brendan told me. I think this is a great concept and should pay good dividends for recruiting, especially. Brendan spoke very highly of the team dynamics.
BRENDAN HUGHES, from Mt. Spokane High School, is hoping to wrestle heavyweight this year for NIC. He has a sister 2 years younger and a soccer player and younger brother who is 8 years old.
His dad, Travis Hughes, was a high school wrestling coach and had Brendan in the practice room from the time he was 4 years old. His dad recognized his passion for the sport; dad also wrestled for NIC from 1992-95. Travis Hughes was the assistant coach at Mt. Spokane when Brendan was wrestling there and his head coach was Todd Slater, who also wrestled for NIC: 2001-02.
To top this off, Brian Owen, youngest son of legendary NIC wrestling coach John Owen, coached Brendan in club wrestling in Spokane, so we are not surprised that Brendan came to NIC to wrestle.
BRENDAN HAD a stellar career at Mt. Spokane, placing fourth in state as a freshman and becoming a state champion as a sophomore. His junior year an ACL injury in football left him unable to compete in wrestling that year. This event made Brendan choose wrestling over football and his senior year he was again Washington state champion.
Brendon likes to play the piano and hopes to maybe be a teacher and be involved in sports.
Jim Landers is a longtime NIC wrestling supporter. Contact Jim at [email protected]
Brendan Hughes