For area athletes, football helps with wrestling and vice versa
It's hard, but it helps.
That's the consensus of standout football players that are also standouts on the wrestling mat.
"Because of football, I'm more explosive on the mat and because of wrestling I have really good hips (so) when we pull for football, I'm able to get out faster because of that mobility," said Central Bucks East senior Joe Collins, a first-team Suburban One League National Conference selection on both the offensive and defensive lines last season and a PIAA District One Southeast Regional wrestling champion at 285 pounds. He started competing in both sports when he was 4 years old.
"I'm surprised there aren't more guys that do both. Maybe wrestling has a stigma attached to it and people don't want to try it, but I think they're underestimating how much it can help you in both sports.
"My dad told me when I was little that I would thank him later for doing both sports because one would help the other and he was absolutely right."
Collins is one of three Patriots, along with seniors Reagan McCullough and Luke Wilson, that play both sports. The trio combined for 88 wrestling wins last season and eight football victories that included a spot in the PIAA District One Class 6A playoffs. McCullough wrestled at 215 last season while Wilson was a 145-pounder.
"What I see you can sum up in one word for wrestlers that play football and it's leverage," CB East head football coach John Donnelly said.
"They just understand that better than most and that crossover skill allows to them to be better tacklers and blockers."
Wrestling worth a try
Getting football players to give wrestling a shot can be difficult.
"I'm really glad I tried wrestling," said La Salle High senior Andrew Brennan, a three-year starter on the offensive line for the Explorers who also earned a trip to Hershey for wrestling last season at 285.
"Football is the greatest sport ever because of the total team effort it takes to succeed and the camaraderie of it. Very few things can replicate that. But wrestling is the best sport for you. Obviously, there is a team aspect to wrestling, but it's just you on the mat. I started playing football when I was little but didn't start wrestling until my sophomore year.
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"The original intent to start wrestling was because it would help me with football, and it really has. Balance, leverage, angles, hand fighting, quickness — all those things help you in both sports and something like getting off the ball quickly in football is similar to shooting a single-leg takedown. One sport just helps the other."
It's more than just getting better
Central Bucks South senior Collin Goetter, a Monmouth University football commit who qualified for the PIAA wrestling championships last season at 285, has played both sports for over a dozen years.
"I know I'm going to miss wrestling," Goetter said. "It's been a part of me for a long time. Football is hard to play and it's a lot of work, but wrestling is just harder, especially the conditioning aspect of it.
"After football is over, it probably takes me close to a month and half to two months to get into wrestling shape, but it's worth it.
"Both sports have helped me improve in the other one and you also learn a lot about yourself by playing both."
Let them play
For veteran CB East head wrestling coach Dave Scarpill, it's maddening that more high school students limit themselves to one sport.
"I lobby for every kid to play something," Scarpill said. "This is high school — if you're good at sports, play as many of them as you can.
"I'm always bugging football players in the hallways that look like wrestlers to give it a try. It bothers me when they'll say I have to lift for football and can't wrestle. You have all spring and summer to bulk up for football.
"All the skills you need in football you can learn by wrestling and vice versa. John (Donnelly) and I definitely work together to get the kids involved and I'm very grateful for that.
"I know some (football) coaches that won't let kids compete in other sports and that's ridiculous. Who are you to say that? Let them swim or wrestle or whatever they want to do. It's only going to help them."
Take a look: Here's the 2022-23 Bucks/Montco all-star wrestling team
Drew Markol: dmarkol@theintell.com; @dmarkol
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: It's benefits galore for football players that wrestle and vice versa
