Simple Man Wrestling

Simple Man Wrestling "Be something you love and understand." Wrestling Podcast
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09/04/2026

Breaking down California’s Top 100 Wrestlers of All Time.

Watch the full episode now on Spotify and YouTube. Link in bio.

09/02/2026

California Baptist University silenced the CBU coaching staff after they cut the program.

Watch the full podcast with Eric Morrill now on Spotify and YouTube. Link in bio.

09/02/2026

The Art of Recruiting and Roster Building.

Watch the full podcast with Eric Morrill on Spotify and YouTube. Link in bio.

There are certain people whose impact on wrestling cannot be measured simply by the number of championships they won. Th...
09/01/2026

There are certain people whose impact on wrestling cannot be measured simply by the number of championships they won. Their influence can be seen through the athletes they coached, the programs they built, and the generations of wrestlers who were given an opportunity to reach levels they may have never thought possible.

For California wrestling, Bob Anderson is one of those people. Anderson is the originator of the JETS Wrestling Club, short for Junior Elite Training System, which became one of the most influential elite wrestling programs in Southern California. His career as a wrestler, coach, mentor, and international ambassador for the sport has left a lasting mark on wrestling in California and throughout the United States.

I wanted to write this tribute to Bob Anderson after recently beginning to read Dan Henderson’s book, Hendo. Henderson is widely regarded as one of the great wrestlers to come out of California and later left Cal State Fullerton to pursue his Olympic dream. Throughout his story, Henderson speaks highly of both his father and Bob Anderson.

Henderson’s journey included training at Camp Pendleton in San Diego County in California and eventually becoming part of Anderson’s JETS program in San Clemente, California. Anderson provided Henderson with the type of world-class training environment that helped prepare him for the highest levels of international wrestling.

That story is only one chapter of Anderson’s great career.

Read the full article by Aaron Lafarge on simplemanwrestling.com.

https://simplemanwrestling.com/2026/08/31/bob-anderson-the-originator-of-the-jets-and-a-california-wrestling-legend/

That seemingly simple question sparked what would become one of the most ambitious wrestling projects I’ve undertaken.Ov...
08/31/2026

That seemingly simple question sparked what would become one of the most ambitious wrestling projects I’ve undertaken.

Over the past year, I developed a series of articles examining California’s greatest wrestlers, beginning with the inaugural CIF State Wrestling Championships in 1973 and continuing decade by decade through 2026. The series highlighted athletes who made their mark not only on California’s high school wrestling landscape, but also at the collegiate level and, ultimately, on the international stage at the Olympic Games and World Championships.

Then, not long after the series began, fellow wrestling colleague Bryan Battisto posed a question that stopped me in my tracks:

“Who do you think are the Top 100 wrestlers to come out of California over the past 50-plus years?”

At first glance, the question seemed relatively simple to answer.

Where better to begin than with the legendary Schultz brothers, Dave and Mark?

Both brothers captured CIF State championships in California before continuing their careers at the University of Oklahoma, where each became an NCAA champion and All-American. But their accomplishments didn’t stop there. They went on to reach the absolute pinnacle of the sport, representing the United States at the 1984 Olympic Games and capturing Olympic gold. Both also added World-level gold medals to their remarkable résumés.

Two brothers. Two CIF State champions. Two NCAA champions. Two Olympic champions. Two World champions.

If identifying California’s greatest wrestlers were really that simple, perhaps compiling a Top 100 would be easy.

It isn’t.

Make no mistake—this is no simple task. Identifying California’s all-time wrestling elite will require extensive research, careful consideration, and a deep dive into more than five decades of remarkable careers.

https://simplemanwrestling.com/2026/08/30/who-are-the-100-greatest-wrestlers-ever-produced-by-california/

Read the full article by Al Fontes on simplemanwrestling.com.

08/26/2026

Dale Hanover is raising the standard of wrestling officials.

Watch the full podcast with Dale Hannover. Available now on Spotify and YouTube. Link in bio.

In the preliminary rounds, Isaiah Cortez, a 2024 U20 World silver medalist in Greco-Roman, picked apart 2024 U17 Asian b...
08/25/2026

In the preliminary rounds, Isaiah Cortez, a 2024 U20 World silver medalist in Greco-Roman, picked apart 2024 U17 Asian bronze medalist Chengtao Wang of China with a 13-2 technical fall, and took a sound 6-0 decision over Nurassyl Assambek of Kazakhstan.

Cortez, competing at 57 kilograms, took a tactical 4-3 decision over 2024 U17 World champion Ulugbek Rashidov of Uzbekistan in the semifinals. A Cortez takedown-to-turn combination early in the second period made all the difference. He will take on Magomed Rabazanovitch Magomedov of Russia—who placed 1st at the U17 European Championships—in the finals. The finals are scheduled for 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time.

Competing at 61 kilograms, Moses Mendoza started the tournament with a bang by earning a 12-2 win over Eliah Lucyga of Germany. He continued his impressive run by defeating 2026 Senior African Champion Zeyad Hassanein, 11-0. In the quarterfinal round, Mendoza defeated Nikoloz Khvedelidze of Georgia, 11-0. Unfortunately, Mendoza’s run in the championship bracket came to an end when he was defeated 10-0 by eventual champion Aaron Seidel. In the bronze medal match, Mendoza lost 12-7 to 2025 U20 World Championship runner-up Ahora Farhad Khateri.

Though Cortez competes for the USA and Mendoza for Team Mexico, the two share deep roots, having both wrestled at Gilroy High School, where they were each two-time CIF state champions. Today, they continue their careers at the collegiate level, with Cortez wrestling for Cornell and Mendoza for the University of Michigan.

Read the full article by Pablo DiMaria on simplemanwrestling.com.

https://simplemanwrestling.com/2026/08/21/from-gilroy-to-the-globe-cortez-punches-ticket-to-world-finals-mendoza-secures-fifth-at-2026-u20-world-championships/

As the 2026–2027 high school wrestling season approaches, the Central Coast Section (CCS) is primed for another action-p...
08/21/2026

As the 2026–2027 high school wrestling season approaches, the Central Coast Section (CCS) is primed for another action-packed year on the mat. From storied powerhouses stacked with state medalists to rising programs led by dangerous individual contenders, the battle for section dominance and state podium spots promises to be fiercely competitive.

This team preview breaks down the landscape across the section, highlighting the returning section champions, multi-time state qualifiers, and postseason blood-round contenders who will shape the team race this winter.

Read the full article by Pablo DiMaria on simplemanwrestling.com.

https://simplemanwrestling.com/2026/08/19/top-10-central-coast-teams-returning-by-section-points-2026-2027/

There are coaches who measure success by trophies. There are coaches who measure it by wins and losses. And then there a...
08/18/2026

There are coaches who measure success by trophies. There are coaches who measure it by wins and losses. And then there are coaches who understand that the scoreboard is only a small part of the story.

For Fred Bartlett, wrestling has never simply been about what happens on the mat.

It is about relationships. It is about purpose. It is about giving young people something to believe in—and, perhaps most importantly, helping them discover who they can become.

Now in his 14th year as head coach at Buhl High School and having completed his fifth year as Team Leader and Women’s Director for Idaho USA Wrestling, Bartlett has become one of the most influential figures in Idaho wrestling. His résumé includes state champions, state placers, district championships, state tournament success, national All-Americans and national champions. But the numbers, impressive as they are, only tell part of the story.

Bartlett’s real legacy may ultimately be found in the people he has influenced.

“I used to say wrestling saved my life,” Bartlett said. “That’s not totally accurate. The relationships I’ve gained through the sport saved my life.”

That statement provides perhaps the clearest window into the coach, husband, father, community leader and mentor Bartlett has become—and into the philosophy that has guided his remarkable journey through wrestling.

Read the full article by Al Fontes on simplemanwrestling.com.

https://simplemanwrestling.com/2026/08/17/fred-bartlett-building-champions-building-people-and-building-the-future-of-idaho-wrestling/

Some wrestling experiences end when the final whistle blows. Others stay with you for a lifetime.For Tim Box, wrestling ...
08/14/2026

Some wrestling experiences end when the final whistle blows. Others stay with you for a lifetime.

For Tim Box, wrestling has never simply been a sport. It has been a way of life—one that began when he was four years old and has continued to shape nearly every chapter of his journey. His father, Mike Box, introduced him to wrestling and, from the beginning, made sure his son had every opportunity to experience everything the sport had to offer. Practices, competitions, long drives, victories, setbacks and countless hours around the wrestling room became part of Tim’s childhood. Alongside his older brother, Anthony, Mike helped establish the foundation for what would become a lifelong passion.

Those early experiences did more than develop Box as a wrestler. They helped shape the coach, mentor and leader he would eventually become. Box readily identifies his father and brother as the two most influential figures in his wrestling career. Despite his considerable accomplishments as both an athlete and coach, he jokingly insists that he is only the “third-best coach” in his immediate family.

Beneath the humor is a genuine appreciation for the lessons they gave him. From them, Box learned that wrestling is about far more than wins and losses. It is about commitment, accountability, sacrifice, humility, relationships and the constant pursuit of improvement. Those principles have followed him throughout his life and now form the foundation of his leadership at Palomar College.

Read the full article by Al Fontes on simplemanwrestling.com.

https://simplemanwrestling.com/2026/08/14/tim-box-building-a-legacy-that-outlasts-the-mat/

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