Behind the teacher’s desk in the I.S.S. room sits George Hovis. He has thick black hair and a thick black moustache to match. He is the father of two state-level wrestlers. He may be talking to someone else in the room, but his eyes still keep keen watch on the students before him. His handshake is firm. This is varsity wrestling’s new head coach.

Prior to this year, Hovis coached four years at Parkway North, then one year at Whitfield.

Hovis said taking over for previous coach, Joe Wier, puts him under some pressure.

“Wier was a great coach,” Hovis said. “And left some pretty big shoes for me to fill.”

Hovis said he also worried about the transition some of the returning wrestlers would have to go through after being coached by Wier.

But he said that because he eased the boys into the change, it went more smoothly. Matt Prosperi, senior agreed.

“I think he realized that a lot of us had the same coach for the past few years,” Prosperi said. “But he did a good job. He didn’t try to change too much, but he changed enough.”

The goals for the team have been set and each goal is based off of the individuals that make up the team, Hovis said.

“I ask my guys what their goals are, and I build my goals around it,” he said. At the beginning of the season, Hovis had his wrestlers write their expectations on an index card and give them to him.

After handing out cards to his wrestlers this year, Hovis said he’s developed these goals for the season: A top 10 finish in the State tournament, at least 60 kids on the team and placing in the top five of every tournament.

Hovis’ coaches staff includes assistant coaches Richard Branson, who focuses on heavyweights and strength and conditioning; Charles Green, who focuses on middleweights; and Chris Green, who focuses on lightweights.

All of the work from the coaches along with all of the perseverance from the athletes adds up to success, Hovis said.

“It’s like making a big soup,” Hovis said. “The more ingredients, the better.”

The key ingredient, Hovis said, is trying to make wrestling fun, but keeping it challenging. He said a balance between the two keeps a team running.

Prosperi said Hovis made the does a great job of making the sport fun.

“He makes me want to wrestle,” Prosperi said. “Whenever he tells me to do something, I want to do it.”

Talon Savone, senior wrestler, said Hovis makes wrestling exciting.

“Practice is actually fun this year,” Savone said. “[Hovis] is a really funny guy and he knows what he’s doing as well.”

Savone said he thinks Hovis has a winning team on his hands, and fans should be proud of the organization.

“It think we’re going to do really well this year,” Savone said. “We’ll hopefully have a minimum of at least six qualifiers for state. We’re going to have a great year.”

The next scheduled match for Hovis and his wrestlers is set for Wed. January 5 against Fox. It is the last home meet before the final home showdown against LHS in one month.

With an all new wrestling coaching staff, Hovis at the helm, wrestlers look to maintain a hard working environment along with balancing fun, a policy Hovis said he believes in.