Coach Gransbery takes New York beach title

Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Colfax High wrestling Coach Dennis Gransbery competed in his first Beach Wrestling Tournament in Rochester, N.Y., July 14. Beach wrestling has been growing in popularity in the US and around the world and was added as a style of international wrestling back in 2005. USA Wrestling has been sanctioning similar tournaments since then with the first U.S. Beach National Championships and World Team Trials in 2006.

When Gransbery read about beach wrestling, it was something he had to try.

He saw that there was one particular wrestler, Mike Morone, who had won four of the last five Beach National Wrestling Tournaments on Ontario Beach in Rochester, NY. In 2011, Morone won the 174 pound Veteran and Senior divisions.

When Gransbery read about this, he saw the challenge, set his goal on defeating Morone, started training, dropped 35 pounds to compete in the 170 pound weight block and registered for the event.

As luck would have it, Morone was wrestling at the 187.25 division; so Gransbery decided to wrestle up a weight class to wrestle Morone.

His training and hard work paid off as he defeated Morone in the finals with a 2-1 decision in the 187.25 Veteran’s Division.

Gransbery accomplished his goal and brought a gold medal back to Colfax.

Several of the Colfax wrestlers helped Gransbery prepare for the nationals. Since the beginning of summer, wrestlers have been meeting on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Colfax High School wrestling room. Any high school student is welcome to participate in these wrestling practices. Daython Maltone, Arron and Brandon Arneson, Brendan and Evan Lord, Dalton McNeilly, Ray Compton and others have been practicing regularly.

Gransbery said Colfax wrestlers are starting to understand that champions are developed in the off season.

Gransbery said he believes in leading by example.

“If wrestlers see that their coach is willing to work hard to achieve his goals, hopefully, they will set their own goals, work hard and find themselves in the Tacoma Dome in February with a medal.”

First official Colfax mat practice will be Nov. 12.