Sometimes coaches have to get tough to help athletes understand their full potential.
Reeths-Puffer wrestling coach Jared Fleming knew how good Nathan Stafford could be, and also knew he was falling a bit short due to a lack of self-confidence.
So a few weeks ago in practice, Fleming got out on the mat and went one-on-one with Stafford - and he wasn’t particularly gentle about it.
He was trying to push Stafford, a junior who wrestles at 285 pounds, into being more aggressive on the mat. He specifically wanted him to start using a unique takedown move he does very well, but had not been employing against opponents.
“The moment came in practice a couple of weeks ago,” Fleming said. “I got out there and wrestled with him, and I was kind of getting the best of him a little bit. I told him that he needed to use that takedown he has, because basic takedowns don’t work on big guys as well.
Stafford works on pinning an opponent. Photo/Joe Lane
“I finally kind of pushed him to his breaking point, and he finally hit the takedown on me. Afterward I explained that I wasn’t trying to make him upset. I told him he just had to realize that what he has can take anyone down. I told him he has what it takes, he just had to get his mind in the right spot.”
The strategy apparently worked, because Stafford cut loose the following Saturday in a tournament at Montague, winning all five of his matches, including four with first-period pins.
He pinned West Catholic’s Ibrahim Manani in 34 seconds, Muskegon Catholic’s Aaron Barnhill in 1:18, Montague’s Joe Winkelman in 1:05 and Tri County’s Brandon Wert in 49 seconds.
Stafford had another good day last week at a multi-team event at Hudsonville, winning three matches by pin. He stopped Greenville’s Charlie Hubbard in 5:51, Cedar Spring’s Beau Savage in 1:55 and Byron Center’s Tim Clay in 3:47.
The ref raises Stafford's arm after a victory. Photo/Joe Lane
Stafford said the rough lesson he learned from Coach Fleming has a lot to do with his recent success.
“Coach wanted me to start shooting (toward opponents’ legs for takedowns),” Stafford said. “I didn’t feel like I could do that against some of the good guys, but coach knew I could. He kept pushing me harder and harder until I pulled the move on him. Then he said, ‘See, you can do it – you just have to put your mind to it.’
“At first I was a little angry. I was like, ‘Why is coach being like this?’ Then I realized he was pushing me to show me how good I can be.”
Stafford is now showing definite signs of becoming an elite high school wrestler.
Last season he finished with a 26-18 record – not bad for a sophomore - but failed to advance beyond districts in the individual state tournament.
Stafford grapples with an opponent from Muskegon last season. Photo/Joe Lane
This season he’s off to a great overall start with an 11-3 record and nine pins, and he's determined to qualify for the state finals.
The difference is that Stafford has more confidence this season, according to Fleming.
“He had an issue with beating good kids,” the coach said. “He beat everyone he was supposed to beat last year and a little bit beyond, but when he went up against the regional qualifiers or state qualifiers, he had an issue, like he couldn’t beat those kids.
“Now he’s starting to turn the corner and realize he is good enough, and he has the ability to be one of those kids who goes to state.”
Stafford said he’s been having a lot of fun this season, particularly when he pins opponents, a feeling he describes as “really awesome.”
Stafford is 11-3 so far this season, with nine pins to his credit. Photo/Joe Lane
“My first pin ever came when I was maybe around eight or nine,” he said. “I think I was in a tournament at Grand Valley, and I remember jumping into my mom’s arms. It was so exciting. It’s still exciting because when you get a pin that’s six points for your team, so I’m helping my team win, and when I pin one of the really good guys it’s a huge motivator.”
Stafford said he started wrestling years ago, at the suggesting of his grandfather, Dave Scott, and the sport soon became a family affair.
“My first year it was just me and my grandpa traveling all over the place to tournaments,” he said. “Sometimes I would take fourth or fifth place, and sometimes not even that, but it was just enjoyable to be with my grandpa.
“The next year my brother got into the sport, and it was so much fun hanging out with him and my grandpa.”
Stafford’s brother doesn’t wrestle anymore, but his grandfather and his mom, Angela Stafford, still go to every Reeths-Puffer match, keeping the family connection to the sport alive.
Stafford is also a varsity football player and hopes to start for the Rockets as a nose tackle next fall – but says wrestling is the sport closest to his heart.
“I love wrestling,” he said. “I love football, as well, but if I could only do one sport, I would have to say wrestling.”