The first time I met Coach Dave Arens, I knew I had found someone extraordinary.
With that twinkle in his eye, his unforgettable smile and chuckle, cool mustache and great voice, my teammates and I knew from the first whistle that we had landed in the right place at the right time.

With Coach Arens, it was love and respect at first sight––for the man himself, and through him, for the world’s oldest and greatest sport.

I remember nothing more fondly in my childhood than the championship wrestling world that Coach created for us to live and learn in. Those times were truly the best of the best and will remain with me forever.

Coach Arens was a major father figure to me and, I’m sure, to all of us. He gave us something to reach for. Of course we wanted to succeed for the thrill of victory, but mainly we wanted to win for Mr. Arens. It all started and ended with him because of the man he was and the value he brought us.

How did Mr. Arens change me forever? By modeling his own virtues and values. Here are just a few

His Demeanor

In less enlightened times many believed that a great coach had to be loud and intimidating. Coach Arens showed us otherwise. Calm and collected, his reserved but powerful coaching style drew us to him and inspired our remarkable success. Coach had class.

His People Skills

Coach knew how to treat people, and even rambunctious high schoolers rose to his expectations. To me he was the smartest person on the planet. “Why is this man not President?” I wondered. 

He made us all feel like royalty, and when he handed me my first trophy, his handshake felt like a gift from the king. 

Coach was the first man you wanted to be like and the last you would ever want to disappoint.

His Communications

Coach Arens’ instructions were as crisp as the navy blue coaching shirt he wore to daily practice. Every word made sense, and because he spoke clearly and at an easy pace, we absorbed the lessons and performed the new techniques with remarkable efficiency

One of his signature communications came packaged in one word, “Here.” This coaching cue told us to stay alert to a particular aspect of a technique––the headlock, example, “Cross-step, toe to toe, rock up on the balls of your feet, bring up your back foot to meet your front, perform a 270-degree pivot, be sure that both hips go outside of your opponent’s and finish your rotation with bent knees, heels together and toes apart––here, here.”

I could listen to Coach Arens forever. His precise and vivid instructions made the complicated sport of wrestling seem easy. Later, after becoming a coach myself, I came to realize just how much skill and effort it took to create that level of communication. I learned to respect his mastery even more, if possible, and tried to replicate it with my own teams.

His Mastery of Motivation––A Swarm of Support

The camaraderie that Coach instilled in his wrestlers showed up in all we did. While other teams would border the mat shoulder to shoulder for introductions, we swarmed in a blue and gold ball of love and support. It was my first taste of pure inspiration and an example of Coach’s insight into the psychology of motivation.

Older teammates showered the younger man in the center of the huddle with encouragement. “Start us off right” urged Chuck Vavrosky and Brad Tufto. “We need this, Lemby,” declared the three Morgan brothers. “Bar him up and PIN ‘em,” ordered Gary Huesburg and Jim Hoeve. “Chrissy, kick this guy’s ass,” piped Scott Sturgeon. “You win, we all win,” added Blake Bonjean.

Each word galvanized the heart, mind and muscles of the person in the middle. It truly was a transformative experience and one of the best places I’ve ever been. The culture Mr. Arens created manifested something uniquely powerful within and among us. Had the task been to lift 500 pounds 1000 times, with all the love and support he instilled I would have found a way to do it. We all would. And as history will attest, we did. Indeed, we would have moved mountains not to let each other down.

His Organization (and the Clipboard Caper)

Coach arrived at every practice organized and prepared, with a clipboard detailing the day’s schedule. And because the clipboard was an extension of the man, it commanded both respect and considerable awe. It also presented a challenge to the young, the curious and the mischievous.

Each day, someone would be assigned the covert task of learning the day’s practice schedule. After washing the mats, Coach would sit for a few minutes before practice began. Once he set his clipboard down the spy of the day would take a seat next to him. The trick was to sit on the same side as the clipboard. The instant Coach looked away the mole would scan the clipboard for the coveted information for that practice session.

Only the most courageous of operatives would accept this bold mission, among them Tony Wadding (Tracy was too busy smiling), Jeff Jones, the beloved and missed Steve Breyette, Tom Bruening, and Dan Mullen.

The operation went something like this: When Dave looked away the spy would scour the practice plan and gather as much intel as possible, especially what Coach called “Live Wrestling”––meaning how many sets of tens we would be doing that day. That information was golden.

After the bird was caged, the sleuth made a hasty exist and began circulating the relevant information. Word spread quickly, sometimes only with hand signals.. Breuning told Bonjean, Bonjean informed Huesburg, Huesburg advised Frichman, who spilled to Pribble, and so forth until every member of the team had been put wise. Proud of our caper, we went about the rest of our workouts feeling like James Bond and silently humming “For Your Eyes Only.”

His Vision and Eyesight

Mr. Arens not only had great vision for his athletes and teams, but the keenest eyesight of any man I’ve known. Nothing escaped his notice.

He regularly stopped teaching a technique, walked across the mat, picked up a piece of lint and discarded it at the edge of the mat––then wordlessly walked back and resumed instruction mid-sentence. Classic Coach Arens.

His Discipline

Coach Arens created a championship atmosphere where foolishness was unthinkable. Never once did I see a student athlete get out of line. His mere presence inspired a group of kids as no one else I have ever seen. Because of his word and way, coach habitually turned athletic 4’s into 8’s, 6’s into 10’s and 8’s into State, National, Olympic and World Class Champions.

Of all the champions he inspired, including the Morgan brothers, Blake Bonjean, Chuck Vavorosky, Brad Tufto, Dan Collins, Dave Meir, and his own son, Todd, one man outshined us all––our coach, role model and friend, Dave Arens.

Coach Arens now belongs to the ages, but his genius, professionalism and kindness will live on in the lives he touched and in the generations that follow.

Farewell, Coach, and thank you. We will love and honor you forever.