Young coaches in sports, whether they like it or not, often get labeled "boy genius" or something similar.
Especially if success comes, say, well before the age of 30.
Born and raised in a Dove Creek wrestling family, with a well-known regional head coach as his father, and then having made his own name on the mat at DCHS, it was hard for Bayfield High School not to be enthusiastic about announcing young Cole Baughman as Todd McMenimen's successor prior to the 2015-16 season.
Not long after last summer's revelation, Baughman made his first executive decision-to stand down, and make sure his personal and collegiate lives were in proper order. Having been an aide to both McMenimen and '15-16 coach Neil Barnes, Baughman had seen what kind of dedication and time commitment the job would require.
He's ready now.
"I think 'anxious' is more the idea, you know what I mean?" he said Tuesday night after practice.
"I'm pretty stoked to be put in a position like this-I just love the sport of wrestling! Being able to come up here and try to coach a dying sport, I just want to try to bring the love back, that I have for it, compared to how many don't like it. I want to make it as fun as possible, create some competitors."
There's already a few on his roster, starting with keystone seniors Ryan Nava (last winter's Class 3A State Championships runner-up at 145 pounds) and Sam Westbrook (third place at heavyweight).
"If they don't come home with some hardware from Denver, I'd be upset at myself and my staff," Baughman said. "They have high expectations of themselves, and I don't foresee them coming home without any. They'll be on the podium, I'm confident of that-it's just a matter of if we get to the finals and get the job done."
Now-junior Garrett Beebe qualified for State at 126 last season and is likely to move up to 132. Junior Jake Sandrey is also back and expected to wrestle at 138 pounds, and senior Cody Speece-who wrestled 47 total matches in '15-16, one more than Westbrook-returns at 120. Senior Chris Kane is also back in the mix again as a 152-pounder, as is sophomore Colby Baker at 106.
Senior Wes Herring, a former middle-school standout inactive for a couple years, figures to be BHS' 160-pounder with returning senior Macoy Michaeli expected to move up to 170.
"We got him back out this year and he's pretty tough," Baughman said of Herring, "and his grades are good. Happy to have him out at 60s.a weight we wouldn't have anybody at!"
As of Tuesday the Wolverines are open at 182 and 195, with sophomore Preston Stubbs penciled in at 220. Newcomers Kalon Mead and Colby Joosten should bolster the lower weights at 113 and 126 pounds, respectively, but Baughman noted that increased competition in the practice room could mean a week-to-week lineup.
"It's going to be kind of hit-and-miss," he laughed. "I had a sophomore wrestle-off at 52s tonight against a senior and the score was 7-6! So I don't know if it's going to stay this way, you know what I mean? I have some young kids that are pretty damned tough, coming to push upperclassmen and maybe taking some varsity spots!"
"Last year everybody was kind of 'given' their varsity spot, you know what I mean?" he continued.
"There really wasn't much competition within the room. There was a few kids up here, but for the most part we were spread out enough that, if you weighed 132, you had the 132 spot. This year, at 52s I have four kids, 45s I have four kids, 38s I have four kids-the competition level is there now to where they don't get to walk up here and just be 'handed' their spot."
"So I think with the competition being raised, that will up our game-as far as the postseason as well."
Baughman's staff includes assistants/former Wolverines Blane Barnes and Roy Westbrook plus Dan Speece and former Durango standout Rhett Breed as volunteer assistants.
They took to the road last weekend to compete at the Wade Hendershott Peaks Invitational in Flagstaff, Ariz.
WHAT OF THE CLASSIC: In years past, the wrestling season's first weekend meant Bayfield hosting the Wolverine Classic. But with fewer teams attending and BHS football, with numerous wrestlers always holding key roster spots, becoming a threat to go deep into November each year, it was deemed best to mothball the event.
For the time being, at least.
"With our football team being so consistent, we have no practices in-this is our second practice with our full team tonight," Baughman said last week, "just don't have the experience and all the kinks worked out."
