Danny Gilbert has been hired as the head wrestling coach at East Hamilton High School.
photo by Greg Davick
To start a wrestling program from scratch and build for the future, what better catalyst to help create that success than hire a hall of fame type person who has won at all levels.
East Hamilton High School has done that and done it in spades.
National Wrestling Hall of Fame coach and official Danny Gilbert has been hired as the head wrestling coach at East Hamilton High School when the newest Hamilton County middle and high school opens it doors in late summer, according to principal Pam Dantzler.
Ryan Cooper has also been hired as the East Hamilton Middle School wrestling coach and will be Gilbert's varsity assistant. Cooper has been the Ooltewah assistant coach for the past six years and is an elementary physical education teacher in the county.
"These two gentlemen compliment each other and share the same coaching philosophy - to prepare the athletes not only for the match, but for the skills needed as adults," said Dantzler. "We are excited about the level of competition that will be in our district and I know both of these coaches will prepare our student-athletes to meet the challenges ahead."
In wrestling, the Hurricanes will compete in the A/AA (small school) classification for duals and in Region 4 for the traditional tournaments.
Gilbert brings to East Hamilton the needed blend of enthusiasm, love for the sport, knowledge of the sport and a genuine interest in the kids to be successful.
"I am excited to be the first coach at East Hamilton and welcome the challenges and opportunities that a new school presents," said Gilbert who has been the head wrestling coach at Sale Creek the past two seasons.
This is Gilbert's fourth head coaching job as he was at East Ridge and Ooltewah prior to Sale Creek.
The charismatic Gilbert understands what it takes to succeed as he was a 1975 state champion at East Ridge (team and individual) and coached East Ridge to the 1991 small school state duals title. The Chattanooga native also has rings in three other sports as he was assistant coach for state champion East Ridge softball (1996, 1998), assistant coach for state champion Northwest Whitfield baseball (1982) and a member of a national champion team handball squad in 1986.
"When I first saw Danny at a TSSAA meeting early last fall, he was accepting an award for the state wrestling referees - little did I know that he would join us at East Hamilton," Dantzler stated.
"His reputation throughout the state is one to be proud of and his care and concern for his wrestlers fits in well with what we see as important in working with youngsters," she said.
"His level of knowledge and skill will benefit everyone in the program. We are confident that Danny will be the key in establishing the wrestling program at East Hamilton and I look forward to working with him."
Gillbert was quick to point out that, "being able to start a new program is great, but it was a difficult decision to leave Sale Creek. I enjoy teaching and coaching at Sale Creek (he is also an assistant softball coach), but I was looking for a teaching and coaching position closer to home."
Gilbert noted that he and coach Cooper have a similar vision on how to build a new program.
"Ryan and I have a great deal of work to do from setting a schedule to ordering equipment to forming a booster club and starting a wrestling program from elementary to the high school varsity," he said. "We will work well together and are on the same page in so many areas of coaching."
Dantzler believes that Cooper has the skills to lead the middle school program.
"I met Ryan when I was principal of Ooltewah Middle School," she said. "He came on board as an assistant coach with Wendell Weathers, working with both the middle and high school programs. What I respected about Ryan was his rapport with students and his style of coaching."
"He believes in the teaching of the skills and the building of the team which makes each athlete stronger and more confident in their ability. Ryan works well with all age levels."
DANNY GILBERT ... East Ridge (1976) ... 1975 state wrestling champion (105 pound class) ... career record: 71-11-1 ... UT-Chattanooga (1980; degree in science ) ... wrestled his freshman year for the Mocs (7-2) ... head wrestling coach at East Ridge, Ooltewah and Sale Creek ... coached the Pioneers to the 1991 small school state duals championship ... wrestling official for 15 years ... member of the Tenn. chapter of the national wrestling hall of fame ... president of Chattanooga area wrestling officials ... One of only two in Tennessee wrestling to achieve the trifetca (all at East Ridge) - individual state champion (1975), member of a team champion (1975) and coached a team to a title (1991 small school duals).
RYAN COOPER ... assistant coach at Ooltewah ... wrestled in high school in Ohio ... graduate of UT-Chattanooga ... elementary physical education teacher.
What Coaches Say:
East Ridge Head Coach Brad Jackson: "Danny and Ryan will form an excellent coaching staff and with the kids that will be coming to their program, East Hamilton will be the team to beat in the next few years. Danny is a great coach, but his ability to teach math in the classroom will be his best contribution to East Hamilton."
Soddy Daisy Head Coach Steve Henry: "Danny can build solid foundations for future success. A perfect example is Ooltewah, a team that had been in existence for several years and never produced what it was capable of doing. Danny was the catalyst for the success they enjoy now."
"He hand picked Wendell to come to Ooltewah and take it to the next level, so that tells you the insight he holds. There is no other individual that maintains a PURE passion for the sport. By pure, I mean he teaches to always put everything into this sport, but also give back to it. He is perfect for this job and will do East Hamilton proud."
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net