As wrestlers cut cords, team grows as powerhouse

VAN WILLIAMS

October 23, 2008 at 11:32AM AKST

Never mind raising money through traditional car washes, bake sales and raffles. The Dillingham Wolverines wrestling team employees a more unique strategy.

They chop wood, handle food catering, move people into a new house and haul freight off the barge. Name it, and the Dillingham kids will probably do it to bring in extra cash.

“Anything physical they call on us,” Dillingham coach John Johnson said. “We’ll do just about anything.”

The wrestling team typically raises $25,000 each year to combat skyrocketing travel costs, allowing the Wolverines to fly to different tournaments throughout Alaska during the season.

“The cost for us to do anything is enormous,” Johnson said.

The team’s specialty is chopping wood, with the boys having already split and delivered 49 cords as of last week. Johnson said the team and their families make an event of it, building a fire and cooking hot dogs and marshmallows.

“It’s always been a family thing,” he said. “We try to do everything together.”

That community-first mentality also carries over to the wrestling mat, where Dillingham has developed into a dynasty under Johnson’s guidance. In the last five years, the Wolverines have won two Class 1-2-3A state titles, placed second twice and fourth once.

Not many squads in Alaska — large or small schools — can match that kind of success since 2003. But Dillingham can brag about having one of the best teams in the small-schools division, and they have Johnson to thank for making it happen.

And even though he passes the credit to his kids and assistant coach Max LeClair, Johnson could be considered the heart and soul of the Dillingham wrestling team.

“I do whatever is best for the kids. I try to make sure I give them something that’s going to help them be successful in life,” Johnson said. “Teach them values. I treat everybody the same, from the kids that have never wrestled to a three-time state champion. There’s no difference in how I treat them.”

He first started coaching the Wolverines in 1993 and created a pee-wee program that has since blossomed into a feeder school that prepares younger wrestlers for the varsity. Johnson left after four years and moved to Palmer High, where he helped the Moose win the 1996 large-school state championship.

He came back to Dillingham before the 2003 season and immediately turned the Wolverines into a perennial powerhouse. They won state titles in 2005 and 2006 and finished runner-up in 2004 and 2007.

“It took some time to build the team,” Johnson said. “We usually have strong numbers. They are usually better than some of the 4A schools.”

This year Dillingham has about 36 wrestlers, down from the traditional 50, but what they lack in quantity they make up for in quality — namely defending state champion J.J. Larson.

The junior won the title at 145 pounds last year, beating more experienced senior Stephen Bolen of Kotzebue. Larson was one of only three underclassmen to end the season with a gold medal.

A big reason why Johnson believes Larson will excel again this year is because the kid is strong, tough and driven. But another reason is because of the teammates that challenge him daily inside the Dillingham wrestling room.

It’s at practice where Larson gets battle-tested for competition.

“A lot of why we have been successful has been the room itself. Nobody just waltzes through that room. Almost everybody gets beat once or twice a week,” Johnson said.

“You have to learn how to have a really tough work ethic and learn fundamentals and technique. J.J.’s done that. Not to say the others don’t have the same thing, he’s just the one that won a title.”

Van Williams can be reached at 907-348-2452 or 800-770-9830, ext. 452.