Jackson

Although I was not at the Tournament, I have gone to the TSSAA website and watched the match. Throughout the match the Father Ryan wrestler did shoot, but as soon as he shot his head went straight into the mat and he did not attempt to go any further. Furthermore he did not change his strategy, but kept going back to a stalemate. The only thing I would have faulted the official for, would have been for not calling stalling earlier. It was probably one of the most boring matches I have watched. On more than one occassion this official has told me to keep my seat when I disagreed with him, but I hold him in the highest regard for his knowledge and fairness. As a matter of fact the first dual meet he ever called was for me 25 years ago. I find it hard to believe that anyone could think of him doing anything but calling a match by the rules without showing favoritism to either side.

I went to the Florida State individual tournament today.They ran three 16 man tournaments on 12 mats without a match board only a PA. It would be the same as running a 48 man bracket. The tournament ran flawlessly. Round one took three hours, round two, which included one championship round and two consolation rounds, took approimately 4 and 1/2 hours.

96 was the snowed out state duals, Redbank beat out Bradley and then were not allowed to go because of the snow storm.

Kevin Kosier (Karns) 52-4 '95-'96; Josh Allmon (Karns) 50-9 '95-'96

Frank will be laid to rest May 20 in Arlington Cemetery with full militery honors.

Thank you Frank. Frank Bryant was truly one of a kind. You are right it was a blessing and honor to have had the opportunity to coach him.

Flyguy, thank you so much for this insight to Frank. I watched him progress from a 90 lb freshman, who would walk down the middle of a crowded high school hallway, to win a state championship and be a fighter pilot. His freshman year he made it to through districts to regionals. He worked hard and his sophmore year he came within one match of making it to the state tournament. Between his sophmore year and his junior year he went to Ben Peterson's Camp Of Champions and his junior year he finished fifth in the state. He returned to Ben's Camp in the summer of 1990. While he was in camp, his Dad known affectionately as "Bear" went into the Canadian backcountry with a canoe, a Bible, and a week's supply of food, by himself. (Gives you an idea where he got his tenacity from.) He came back from the Camp of Champions with his goal being to win the 1991 119 lb Championship. Somewhere along the way his Dad bought two canoes and since they lived on Melton Hill lake they had a ready made place to use them. He and his Dad would paddle upstream for a mile, take the canoes out of the water and run back home carrying the canoes. At the beginning of his senior year he ws in perfect wrestling condition. His day began with a workout at St. Mary's Fitness Center, then to school to run with the team, shower and eat breakfast, go to class, wrestling practice, and end with another work out at St. Mary's. At the beginning of the season he was undefeated until our first big tournament. He was pinned in 51 sec in the first period of the championship match. He did not get upset, he just went back to work. Frank did not loose another match during the regular season. As we went into the tournament season he continued his work out regimine. His Dad's swim coach at UT was Ray Bussard. Ray was friends with the Air Force Academy wrestling coach. The Air Force Coach told Coach Bussard that if Frank won a state championship he would assure him an appointment to the Academy. Frank breezed through the district, regional, and State tournament up to the Championship final. His opponent was the kid who pinned him in 51 sec at the beginning of the season. This kid had rarely gone beyond the first period the whole season in any match. During the state tournament we noticed that against better competition who took him to the second period he begin to wear down. I told Frank if we could get him into second period we could beat him. The match started with the kid taking Frank to his back in the first 30 seconds and holding him there for 90 seconds. I can still hear big Frank yelling. The period ended with Frank down 5-0. At the beginning of the second period the kid chose top, Frank got a reversal and back points. The score was 5-4 and the kid was sucking major air. We chose nuetral to begin the third and Frank took him to his back and pinned him and won the state championship. He stood up, took off his headgear and folded it in his left hand, as he did after every match, shook hands with the kid, turned and walked over to me to shake hands, I told a hand shake wouldn't work this time, I hugged him, he calmly picked up his warmups and waited for the awards ceremony. He ended the season 57-1. I had a lot of good wrestlers, both before him and after him, but never another like him.

Frank Bryant,the 1991 119 lb State Champion from Karns High School was killed in Kabul, Afghanistan today. He graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1995 where he wrestled and was the team captain his senior year. Frank was a coach's dream. He was the wrestler a coach is always looking for. He had the same demeanor whether he won or did not win. In 1991 he was 57-1 and when he won his final match, a state championship, He reacted the same way he always had. He took off his headgear folded it in his left hand, shook hand with his opponent, came over and shook hands with me, for the first time that year allowed me to hug him, picked up his warm up and waited for the medal ceremony. He had done what he had worked so hard for, a state championship and an appointment to the Air Force Academy. I was truly blessed by having the opportunity to have coached Frank Bryant. Dan Dugger

There are a number of additional coaches who, I feel are class acts. Five I have coached against. I have watched Coach Foreman both as a wrestler and a coach, and Coach Jones I have watched as he has worked to build a program which had never really gotten established and worked to save another program which appeared to be dying. Greg Foreman-Pigeon Forge Jeff Price-Science Hill Ben Jones-Knox Central John Mullin-Notre Dame Pat Simpson-Father Ryan Frank Simpson-MBA Buzzy Mann-Dobyns-Bennett

Great story, I remember several years ago when I was coaching, Coach Hambrick invited Karns to come to Franklin during Christmas Holidays to wrestle in a two day dual meet. The parents of the wrestling team invited the Karns team to stay in their homes. A great group of folks.

Coach, Great Post. Good folks don't loose,sometimes they just don't win.

One of the best things I did as a coach was to ask Tater to officiate. The only problem I ever had with him is that he always made me stay in my seat. Congratulations Tater! Keep up the good work.

Karns Results for November 23rd Karns 54 Union County 18 103- Mcnulty (K) lost fall Bobby (U) 1:22 112- Noyes (K) win fall Devin (U) 2:54 119- FF (K) lost Isaac (U) 125- Schafer (K)win FF (U) 130- Jones (K) win FF (U) 135- Reed (K) win fall Danny (U) 1:45 140- FF (K) lost Turner (U) 145- Every (K) win FF 152- Aliy (K) win fall Emerson (U) 3:38 160- FF / FF 171- Hopkins (K) win FF 189- FF/ FF 215- Calhoun (K) win FF 285- Worsham (K) win FF Karns 36 Knoxville Webb 36 * Match decided on the 9th criteria* 103- McNulty (K) lost fall Conley (W) 3:00 112-Noyes (K) win fall De Ponte (W) 1:57 119- FF/FF 125-Schafer (K) lost fall Jones (W) 1:34 130- Jones (K) win fall Grandes (W) 5:01 135- Reed (K) win fall Carter (W) :22 140- FF/FF 145- Every (K) lost fall Slutzker (W) 2:29 152- Aliy (K) lost fall Little (W) :58 160- FF (K) lost Mitchell (W) 171- Hopkins (K) win fall Farr (W) 1:57 189- FF (K) lost Mackinze (W) 215- Calhoun (K) win FF 285-Worsham (K) win FF

I have had the opportunity to work with and coach against Coach Hambrick, he truly is a gentleman and a great example. I know he will be successful in his rehabilitation.

I am sure that the ANIMAL and I could handle the situation and if it would increase attendance it might not be a bad idea. Unfortunately warm weather beacons me this winter and I think the ANIMAL is enjoying what he is doing. I do hope that whatever the impediment is, it can be removed and Karns returns back to its former heights. It appears that some folks need to learn how to get along and that the coach is in charge, support the coach and stay out of his way.