Colton Maddy started as the varsity head wrestling coach at Lewiston High School in the 2022-23 season. Three years later, he’s had a very successful team with four returning state medalists and many state hopefuls. In this interview with Sammie Slyter, he shares part of his experience as a wrestler, coach, and science teacher.
Sammie Slyter: What have you accomplished so far — personally and professionally — that makes you proudest?
Colton Maddy: “Getting my master’s and teaching certificate during the pandemic… Half of my classes were online and in person which was very difficult when I was first learning to teach…I was also the first person in my family to go to college let alone get a master’s degree.”
SS: Tell me about the person who has had the greatest influence on your life. What lessons did they teach you?
CM: “Outside of my parents, Mike Pine. He was my head coach my senior year and I coached underneath. He is the reason I am a wrestling coach and a teacher. He influenced me to go into education and taught me how to be a good leader in general.”
SS: What are your most vivid memories of wrestling?
CM: “Junior year, first year I qualified for state, standing in the Tacoma Dome in the stands listening to the national anthem… I don’t know why it stuck with me- maybe because I put so much work into the previous off-season just to make it and in that moment I realized, I made it. [ . . . ] (Another was) when Brock Bauer, heavyweight at Bonnelake, won his semi-final match at state. It was a crazy season. It was just a mess and Brock was so up and down and he was ranked 18/20. I told him to stick to the game plan and he would come home with a medal… The moment I remember the most is during blood time. We got Brock cleaned up and the other kid looked gas. I looked at Brock and said, ‘Wrestle smart and you are a state finalist.’ Brock gave me an ear-to-ear grin, wrestled smart and won the HWY match 1-0.”
SS: Tell me how you would like people to remember you.
CM: “I just want someone to remember me as a coach and a teacher who wants everyone to succeed. Success comes in many forms, but I just want to help them take their goals and help them achieve it. I want people to be able to work hard and have fun. Especially in the wrestling room — I want everyone working but I want it to be fun.”
SS: What has been your favorite memory as LHS head wrestling coach?
CM: “We’ve worked hard, had a lot of fun, and came home with good medals. I think (my favorite memory) would be my first year here (when) we qualified for the gold bracket at River City Duals, which hadn’t been done in 10 years”
SS: What have been your goals for the wrestling team this year?
CM: “Both boys and girls have a very real shot at being in the top 10 at state. I don’t see any reason we shouldn’t be a top-10 team this year. I also think we can increase the number of medalists from last year and become district champs.”
SS: What do you think the program needs to improve on most and how do you plan to fix it?
CM: “Off-season wrestling. We don’t have a lot of guys who commit to the off-season. We only have five or six guys who commit to the offseason and other teams have full lineups. I think that really comes down to holding each other accountable as well as building culture and helping younger guys understand that in order to be good you need to stay on the mat year-round. Our sophomore class is really tight-knit so if they start going to club practices that could inspire the freshmen.”
SS: How do you think the program will be next year when your state placers graduate?
CM: “That’s always the question and it’s just the nature of high school sports. I think we are gonna take some pretty heavy losses but it’s all a matter of if guys are gonna step up. Are they gonna work hard or not? It’s all about how people develop in the off-season.”
SS: Do you think the various club opportunities have been beneficial to the wrestling program?
CM: “One hundred percent — especially between the three clubs there’s an open mat every day of the week. All three of the clubs are gonna help people. We have so many club opportunities, there’s no excuse not to be on the mat at least a few times a week.”
SS: What wrestlers do you predict will have the most success at the state tournament this year?
CM: “Joely Slyter — she is a very consistent wrestler and I see her at the top of the podium. Kooper Bugner — she has already had a very successful freshman season. Sammie Slyter, (who) has improved a lot since last year; Kamryn Lockart, who is a two-time state qualifier and has a good shot at medaling. And Bria Miller had an incredible performance at Rollie Lane. For the boys, Brice Cuthbert, Jase Hendrin and Gunnar Whitlock are all returning medalists. Coen Roberts, Brody Lynch and Mason Faling are state qualifiers who could end up on the podium. Tate Cuthbert, who placed eighth at Rollie Lane, should medal as well as Parker Bagley, who has had a promising sophomore season.
Staff reporter, Sammie Slyter, is a member of the Lewiston girls’ wrestling team that is coached by Colton Maddy.
