David Swink has been through the ranks of wrestling – as a wrestler, the father of wrestlers, a middle school head coach, and finally, a varsity head coach. The last position Swink held from 2016-17 to 2023-24.
He said there were no second-thoughts and no regrets. He said it was time to move on, and it could be time to give someone younger a chance to build a program his way. Along the way, Swink was aptly assisted by Eric Mowen, whom Swink succeeded as the top coach. Mowen chose to stay on staff due to his love of wrestling.
Wrestling is sometimes referred to as a niche sport. The degree of closeness and rapport between coaches of the same team even coaches on other teams speaks of an almost fraternity. The example trickles down to the wrestlers themselves, who form an amazing scene during warmups at postseason and in-season tournaments: a mass of bodies turning, simulating takedowns, and generally working up the heart rate to get ready for the opening whistle.
While Swink will no doubt miss it, the soon arrival of a grandchild has a way of creating a massive paradigm shift and a glimpse into future life with a growing child in a newly-expanded family.
It is best left to David Swink to tell his wrestling story. He was gracious to respond to my request to do a story in recognition of his retirement from coaching. But he is optimistic in the future of the program, which added a girls team this past season and has a dedicated middle school staff.
DAVID SWINK:
“Wrestling all started for me as a kid following my brothers around to their wrestling matches. Wrestling back in the 70’s was a really big deal here in the tri-state area and in Waynesboro. All four of us Swink brothers wrestled for Waynesboro. All of us wrestled for either Coach (Wayne) Liddick or Coach (Dave) Weber.
The first time I wrestled in the old, old gym here in Waynesboro was back in about 1975. Back then wrestling programs had full matches for both JV and Varsity high school teams. Coach Liddick’s son and I wrestled in the intermission between the two matches as crowd entertainment. It was quite the spectacle. We were a hit.
I later wrestled with Eric Mowen in the 80’s for Coach Weber and Coach (Dan) Ireland. Our team won the Blue Mountain League championships in the 83’-84’ and 84’-85’ campaigns. I greatly admired our two coaches for their dedication not only to the wrestlers but to all of the other activities they were a part of within the school district. They certainly were both my inspiration to want to teach and coach. Both were amazing wrestlers. I can remember dreading the days when Coach Ireland ran practices. He was tough on us. And Coach Webb could beat the snot out of anyone with both hands tied behind his back. They both have stayed active in the wrestling community through the years and we got a great picture with all four of us together years later at a fall camp that the wrestling program was hosting at the high school featuring several PSU wrestlers.
For me, coaching started when my oldest son Isaac came home from school with a flyer from the Waynesboro Youth Wrestling program back in 2001. He was all excited, and said he wanted to wrestle like his dad. So, we got out some shoes and headed to elementary practice. Eric Mowen was the first person I saw when I walked in the wrestling room and he asked me if I’d help coach.
And so, the 23-year journey began. Along the way, I coached at every level with so many wonderful people.
After several years coaching within the elementary program Eric Mowen, who had transitioned to the high school head coach position at that time, called and asked if I’d consider moving up to coach with Daryl Bowman at the middle school. Coach Bowman was a legend in Waynesboro and had coached for decades. I couldn’t pass up that opportunity. I got to coach alongside Daryl for just one season though. His knees, let’s face it his entire body, had seen enough and he asked me to take over as head coach of the middle school the following year.
I was able to get Dave Clagget to step in as my assistant for quite a few years. Later I had Brandon and Danny Beltz with me. Collectively we had a lot of good years together. I really enjoyed teaching and coaching at the middle school level. It allowed me a great opportunity to recruit kids to fill the 18 middle school weight classes that we had back then. I also had the pleasure of coaching both of my sons, Isaac and Elliott, along the way. It’s amazing to watch your own kids change and grow through a sport that is as tough as wrestling.
Then in 2018, I was asked to move up to be the High School Head coach. I had the pleasure of coaching with both Mike Rouzer and Eric Mowen as my assistants in this final role. Two more Waynesboro wrestling legends at my side. That first season we had quite a team. Wrestled at team districts and took Matt McCann to states. We also were blessed to have the young Rouzer twins with us that year as freshmen. Those two boys really do epitomize the hard work ethic every coach wants to see in their wrestlers.
Unfortunately, during my tenure as head coach I also had to deal with and coach through the Covid years. What a challenge those years were. There were about 6 months straight where due to Covid circumstances we actually held wrestling practices in the pole barn behind my house. After that we went back into the wrestling room and back at school but we were in masks. Anything with masks sucked, but wrestling with masks was undeniably insane. We also sadly lost a very special mother in the program, Mindy Rouzer, at the end of those years.
By the end of Covid we were back at full strength with a very young but solid line-up. They were and are a very strong and special group of young men. Eric and I both were very tired at this point but agreed that we would stay on as coaches to see this group through.
One thing I will say is that I have been very blessed with all of the opportunities that I have been presented over the years. Throughout it all, from back in 1975 through today, what I have found is that the wrestling program works as effectively as it does because of all of the great people within it that make it go. It takes a village they say. What I have seen that makes the wrestling program special is that it operates as one great big wrestling family. It was that way back in 1975 under Coach Liddick’s guidance and has remained that way through many great coaches along the way. And I know that it will remain that way for decades to come because the wrestling family will bond together as it always does and make the whole process work.
