Champion buckeye trains with Mustang grapplers

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Logan Stieber’s success isn’t dependent upon his teammates.

And the Ohio State University redshirt sophomore and NCAA 133-pound champion wouldn’t want it any other way. Stieber began wrestling when he was 4 years old. And over the past 17 years, he has focused on learning as much he can to not only become a better wrestler but a better person, as well.

“I like that it’s one-on-one,” said Stieber, who finished second at last month’s U.S. Olympic Trials. “You don’t have to depend on your teammates. How good you become depends on how hard and smart you train.”

This past week, Stieber shared his knowledge with the Lakewood Ranch High wrestling team during the Mustangs fourth annual wrestling camp with Ohio State University coach Tom Ryan July 5 to July 7.

“It’s been good,” Stieber said. “I love coaching and helping kids out. These kids have been working hard and having fun. These guys want to learn. If they can learn a little bit and pick up a couple of (coach Ryan’s) messages, then it’ll help them become better people, wrestlers and students.”

During the camp, Ryan, Stieber and former Mustang Kyle Riley-Hawkins, who missed most of his first season at Ohio State because of hip surgery, worked with nearly 60 wrestlers, ranging in age from elementary school to high school and representing 13 high schools from across the state.

“I think it’s incredible to have a Division I head wrestling coach come down, especially from a school like Ohio State,” said Lakewood assistant coach Nels Matson, who moved over to Lakewood after spending last season as an assistant at Braden River. “Logan finished second at the Olympic Trials, so it gives the kids (a chance) to see someone at that level. The hardest part is visualizing it, and this makes it easier for them to see that they can get there.”

The three-day camp allowed the Mustangs to not only work alongside some of their competitors but also to learn from one of the nation’s best wrestling coaches. Wrestlers worked on improving their technique, drills, escape maneuvers, proper footwork and other wrestling fundamentals.

“If you always want to be the best, you have to keep learning from the best,” said Lakewood senior Blake Riley-Hawkins, who was participating in his third Ohio State wrestling camp. “You always have to keep drilling the same moves before you get good at it and can use it in a match.”

Following Lakewood’s wrestling camp, coach Pat Ancil, Blake Riley-Hawkins and a few more Mustangs left for Ohio to participate in Ryan’s week-long camp on the OSU campus.

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].