The Tullahoma High School (THS) girls and boys wrestling teams recently wrapped up successful seasons that included state appearances by both squads.
While winning is important for the two teams that are coached by husband and wife, Al and Jenna Morris, the process of getting to those wins is what matters most.
“What counts is the character that these athletes build, and they get that from wrestling. They have the courage to get out of their comfort zone and break the mold of stereotypes, and give wrestling a try,” said Jenna, the Lady Wildcats head coach. “I always preach to them and encourage them to have the courage to do what they are doing. Not many people are willing to put themselves out there, so I applaud them for that.”
Jenna added that it all starts with trusting the process and having a humble mindset.
“The biggest things they learn through the program are how to work hard and its process,” she explained. “The practices and the grind of it is really hard, daily. But they learn to enjoy that hard work. The nature of the sport is humility. It doesn’t matter how good you are, there will be someone, at some point, that is bigger and better than you. However, when you lose you have to get back up, brush it off and use it to make you better.”
She added that both programs teach diversity and resiliency, both of which are essential in finding success in the sport.
“We teach diversity,” said Jenna. “Our sportis very diverse. We have different backgrounds and skill sets. It doesn’t matter what size you are or how athletic you are; you can come to this sport and be successful with hard work. Lastly, we always preach resilience because they have to be able to come back stronger and use that as motivation.”
DIGGING DEEPER
Jenna said that this year’s mantra for both teams has been “digging deeper.”
“The ultimate mantra that we follow is ‘trust the process,’” she explained. “Wrestling is not a sport they can just walk into and automatically be good. They have to trust and appreciate the process that will make them better. But this past year, I wanted to point out that we have always been at the top in the state for the past six years. We’ve been second, third, or fourth. Just so close. I’ve been preaching that while we have been so close to the top, we have to keep digging deeper and continue to work towards the top.”
She added that the mantra seems to be working, not only with the wrestlers achieving more at competitions but also with growth for her team.
“The program has grown each year,” said Jenna. “This year, there were 28 girls on the team that finished the season. We had just six finish the season in our first year. We consistently have one of the biggest, if not the biggest, teams in the state on the girl’s side.
While wrestling can be a challenging sport, Jenna said it is rewarding to see it all come together for a player.
“It’s awesome to see,” she said. “We make a big deal of their success and encourage them to keep working at it.”
WORKING AS TEAM
Success in wrestling isn’t a singular term. It’s something that Jenna says takes the work of everyone involved. She credits leadership from both teams for the continued success of the program.
“We are one big program,” she said. “With us both being head coaches, we work together as often as possible. Our coaches for the boys are second to none. My husband is a state champion, and assistant coach Jeff Lester is a former state champion and a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. We have coaches on the boy’s side that have amazing skill sets. I rely on them a lot. I’m better at recruiting and getting kids to come out and doing logistical things with the teams. They are more skilled at the sport, so we all have strengths that come together for a successful program. We’re better and stronger together.”
Now, in their off-season, both teams will work throughout the summer to prepare for another successful season. GN
