Football, wrestling go hand in hand
Football, wrestling go hand in hand
{child_byline}By Eleanor Bailey
Almanac Sports Editor
ebailey@thealmanac.net{/child_byline}
Across the WPIAL, football players fill the 220-pound and heavyweight classes in wrestling.
According to Mt. Lebanon coaches Marc Allemang and Mike Melnyk that’s a positive thing.
“There is no better conditioning than a season of wrestling,” said Allemang.
“Wrestling and football go hand-in-hand when developing athletes,” added Melnyk. “It requires conditioning, toughness, desire and so many other traits like balance and quickness.”
Both activities, agreed the coaches, have played a role in helping Nate Hoaglund become the athlete he is today. Hoaglund has started two years on the offensive line for Melnyk’s Blue Devils, who were conference champions and runners-ups during those seasons. A varsity member since his freshman year, he is expected to be a “leader up front” for Lebo next fall, says Melnyk.
Hoaglund is already a success on the mats. He won 28 matches as a junior and after finishing fifth at the Powerade Tournament over the holidays is poised to have a banner season this winter because of the skills he has developed on the gridiron.
“Nathan is the proof that your football linemen and linebackers should be spending their time wrestling during the winter,” said Allemang. “His ability to move, change levels, be explosive, get his hands on someone and move them are all skills that transfer from the mats to football.”
While he started wrestling after playing football for many years, Hoaglund’s future likely will be on the mats. He is being recruited in both sports, however, and being recruited by Brown and Case Western. He hopes to major in computer sciences or business.
“Right now I am leaning toward wrestling because I enjoy the sport better but I’m not fully committed,” Hoaglund said.
Hoaglund prefers wrestling over football for several reasons but sees similarities and benefits to participating in both sports.
“At times it can be hard to balance the two and it can be annoying when you get hurt,” he said, noting he has suffered injuries in football but not wrestling. “Football is two-dimensional. You either do the right thing or not. You can’t experiment. In wrestling, I can feel myself getting better through technique and you can try new moves. But the sports do complement each other.”