Jordan Leen

[Nainten]

Nainten.....I'm RMC..and I can't come back to Tennessee until Sommers leaves.

 

If I can answer any questions or help in any way just let me know.  We started a program from scratch about 10 years ago and have had some modest success. 

 

825550194[/snapback]

 

 

Super! Thanks for the offer. I may be taking you up on it .

[WrestleSBA]

Ah, you're the MS coach for the SBA program.  That's Great.  I see SBA every Sunday when I go to church right there across the street on Chimney Rock.  We're actually throwing the idea of private school for my little one around at home. 

 

(1) Yes my son was among those that wrestled.  We only have about six regulars in the "room" and three of them wrestled only about 4 weeks before those bouts.  Like you I was surprised to see them perform as well as they did.  Thanks for the invite to wrestle with your guys. 

 

(2)Hopefully we’ll get the chance to meet and talk sometime soon. 

 

(3)Yeah I’d like to get more involved in helping Coach Thiry build the program but at this point I don’t know how much time I can set aside for it and I don’t want to commit to it only to have to back out a few months down the road.  For the time being I’m incline to wait and just help out during the practices. 

I have a few of questions for you if you don't mind:

 

(4)How long has your MS program been around?

 

(5)How many kids do you have in your MS program? 

 

(6)Do your kids wrestle during the free style season? 

 

(7)Does SBA fund you or do you do your own fundraising.  Is it a combination of both?  Are the parents of your wrestlers actively involved in the program? 

 

 

 

Thanks in advance.

825549810[/snapback]

 

Nainten,

That is great to hear about the Church (Saint Francis). That is where I attend when I do not go to mass at Christian Brothers University where I am finsihing up my last semester. My only experiences at SBA were at the HS level but I loved it (was public school before that) but all of the kids I coach love being in school at Saint Francis (that is the name of the lower schools as of this year).

 

(1) What weight was your son around? I am trying to figure out which of my kids he wrestled. I was also very impressed with the intensity those kids wrestled with. It is hard to get kids stepping on the mat for their first time to show that kind of intensity, you all are training them very well. I always keep an open door policy in reference to my practices but right now my kids are getting the benefit of the same policy from CBHS. We are currently practicing with them because the location we had been practicing during the "season" is now being used otherwise. I think there is one kid from Cordova who comes pretty regularly, bigger kid with I think red hair, I have ended up working with him some when there are odd partners.

 

(2) My e-mail is listed via this board so if ever need to get in touch with me let just drop me an e-mail. If I don't go to Nashville next weekend for a MS tourney I will be coming out to the Region 8 regional tourney if you are there we might meet then.

 

(3) Definitely careful because it is very easy to get involved quickly, believe me I know .

 

(4)Quick history on our program. Three years ago the wrestling team at SBA was on the verge of being cut when two non-teachers (an engineer and a dentist) stepped in to take over the program. I being a recent grad decided it would be fun to stay active and help out so I offered to come nad help with practices from time to time. Needless to say I got involved very quickly and am in my third year now as an assistant coach to what is essentially two head coaches. After the first year they approached me about starting a MS program and my becoming the head coach there, I accpeted not really knowing what to expect. To be honest the first year was pretty thrown together as far as practices but we came out of it with a lot of experience and some good results. We are now in our second season and starting to get things flowing more smoothly. So for the short answer two years.

 

(5)Started with about 30 this year but by hte end of season was down to around 20 K-8 grade. I have been trying to keep the numbers in that range being as that I have been trying to finish school along with myother assistant coach. This next year should see a large increase in our overall activities as I will have a lot more time to plan and organize with being out of school.

 

(6) My kids that are not busy with other sports will wrestle freestyle & Greco for the first time this year. They didn't last year because all were first year wrestlers and I wasn't involved with the summer programs yet. The combination of my being one of the coaches and having at least one practice at SBA each week has gotten a lot more of my kids to prep for the summer wrestling.

 

(7) Everything we do is actually as a club currently just like all the other schools around Memphis. We get no support from Saint Francis other than the use of their cafeteria for practice. We get a good bit of support from the SBA wrestling program since we use their second mat for practice. Luckily, we have not really needed any financial support thus far because we get our mats from SBA and the parents who wanted to ordered uniforms. I have been blessed to have a few parents who are very active and the last two years have relaly helped me more than I can repay. They started our first fundraising efforts this past year and planned things like end of the season party / dinner for me when I was busy with school and trying to coach both the HS and MS. They were and are a true God-send. Thankfully my booster club presidents are with me for two more years and my other most active parents transfer up to the HS next year.

 

I know that was long but hopefully it answers some of your questions. Fell free to e-mail me with anything else.

[WrestleSBA]

Back on topic though.

 

Jordan was a great kid and I had the pleasure of watching him win his frist medal as an 8th grader and then saw him win his last three state titles. We couldn't have asked for a better kid to represent TN at any of the times we have been lucky to have and will continue to have him doing so.

[Honaton]

i think its fair to say after all the debate that no matter what high school you went to or where you are from... if you are a college wrestler out of tennessee we are always happy to see you excel. having wrestled in high school, i know all the rivalries and tensions that come with high school wrestling. it is a long stressful season that makes you realize what it takes to be part of a team and that the sport itself is amazing. you give your all not only for yourself, but for you team, your coaches, and your family as well. seeing the simpsons, jordan, keller, and posssibly blackmond (sp) make a name for themselves on a national level is something we should all be proud of. it makes a name for tennessee, the region, and the southeast. that right there says it all. tennessee produces quality wrestlers that can compete at a national level. that is something we should charish and never forget. so in conclusion, we can always argue over who is going to win state, be the best wrestler, or become the coach of the year- but we can never argue the heart of the wrestlers that represent our great state of tennesse on a national level. i for one know that it doesn't matter what school you wrestled at in tennessee. if you set the standard for the years to come- you are someone to be remembered. with that being said, we should all take a moment to thank the wrestlers that have made tennessee wrestling what it is today and hope that our tradition will carry on in the manner and demenior (sp) in which it began. thanks for your time- jonathan armstrong

[Nainten]

Back on topic though.

 

Jordan was a great kid and I had the pleasure of watching him win his frist medal as an 8th grader and then saw him win his last three state titles.  We couldn't have asked for a better kid to represent TN at any of the times we have been lucky to have and will continue to have him doing so.

825550488[/snapback]

 

I think this thread may be at the end of it's run but let me say one last thing. By all accounts Jordan seems to be a fine young man and no doubt is making many folks back here proud. I think you will see bigger and better things from this young man. Young Mr. Leen is 16-11 as a true frosh and has beaten the 13th and 17th ranked wrestlers in the country according to AWN. Tomorrow (Saturday) if he wrestles, he will likely meet the 7th ranked guy in Ricky Laforge. Jordan is going to have a tiger by the tail should they meet, but if he pulls it out then I think we will see his name in the top twenty of at least one of the ranking services out there (i.e. AWN, NWCA, WIN, TWN, WrestlingReport...), and he will likely draw a top 4 seed at the Easterns. There... I am all Leen'ed out for now.

Edited February 4, 2005 by Nainten