Good Sports: Steve Wachter and Jackson's long-term wrestling success

Jackson wrestling coach Steve Wachter shouts instruction to an Indians' wrestler during the MSHSAA Class 4 District 1 tournament at Northwest High School in Cedar Hill, Missouri Saturday.

Tom Davis ~ tdavis@semoball.com

Good Sports is a feature appearing weekly in the Southeast Missourian and on Semoball.com. It features a profile of a line of someone who has impacted the sporting life of Southeast Missouri. The purpose is for the reader to know the individual so spotlighted in a deeper way. Responses are edited for brevity and clarity.

Today: Steve Wachter, 61, head wrestling coach, Jackson High School. Wachter literally bleeds red and black as a JHS alum, Class of ’77, and coach at his alma mater since 1982. He served 12 years as an assistant to Bruce Thomas before taking over the program in the mid-1990s. Wachter has been a lifelong Indian – for JHS and also for Southeast Missouri State, known also as the Indians during the time he attended there, receiving his undergraduate degree (1981). His record as HC of Jackson is 225-16-1 (.930 winning percentage). Wachter has had 16 undefeated varsity teams, including the current squad. The Indians, with the exception of a single competition against Eureka in 2017, are undefeated in dual meets since 2013.

You’ve had overwhelming success at Jackson in your 26 years leading the wrestling program. “Overwhelming” is probably not a strong enough word to characterize your record.

I want it known, please, that I didn’t do this by myself. You need a lot of people to be successful and (at Jackson) we’ve been blessed with outstanding coaches. Bruce Thomas before me, for example. Jerry Golden, also, was responsible for many of our junior varsity wins. Our JV, by the way, has 272 straight wins – that’s 29 years undefeated. I can’t say enough about my staff.

As this column is appearing in print and online, you have nine wrestlers competing this weekend for a state championship in Columbia.

Yes, and we’ve had nine twice before during my tenure – in 2014 and 2010. We’ve never taken fewer than three boys to state in 26 years.

And you’ve had some state champions – boys who finished first.

We’ve had seven and the last one was in 2009.

Tell us about your personal history as a wrestler.

I played three sports at JHS (Class of ’77) – wrestling, of course, my weight class was 132 lbs. Plus, I was an outside linebacker in football and in track, I was a runner – the 440, the 880, and the relays, one mile and two mile.

What do you remember about your JHS coach back then, the late Paul Webber (1944-1998)?

(Coach) was an outstanding motivator. He knew I loved wrestling and I was pretty technical about the sport. Because of him, I grew up with a team concept.

I’ve heard it said that wrestling is the oldest sport there is.

That’s true. The ancient Greeks did it.

Wrestling may be the only sport mentioned in the Bible, too.

Jacob wrestling with the angel, yes. I’ll say this, whether or not wrestling is the oldest (sport), it’s the hardest.

Why is it the hardest?

The grind, the competition, how hard you have to work to be successful. The two-a-days. The lifting. It takes repetition to be a champion and repetition can be boring. Also wrestling is a winter sport, so it’s dark when you get here and dark when you leave. Some kids can’t deal with it.

MSHSAA (Missouri State High School Activities Association) says more kids are choosing to specialize, that is, play one sport only.

Half of our boys also play football. I want our kids to know if they have the ability and want to do (another sport), I want you to do them.

You are close to Jackson football coach Brent Eckley.

We talk a lot. (Brent) works really hard and is committed. I don’t know another (high school) football coach who outworks him. He lives the game.

Lots of distractions for kids now that didn’t exist when you went to JHS.

Outside of the gym, that’s true. Sometimes I’ll have to tell the team to put their phones down, “Eyeballs on me.”

What else is different about today’s student athletes?

(Youth) are so knowledgeable now at a younger age. It used to be unheard of for a freshman to go to state. Not anymore. The wrestling academies in larger cities can also be credited. We have Optimist and USA wrestling in this area.

Is there a Steve Wachter philosophy?

For the boys, it’s do your best and do what’s right. Also, don’t quit. Be mentally unbreakable. You might beat me, but you won’t break me. For myself, my philosophy is – honor God, honor the kids.

Say a word about your girls’ team, please.

We’ve got two girls who came out for the team in 2019-20 – a freshman and a junior. They’ve made tremendous progress but neither is going to state this time. I expect next year’s girls’ team to be larger.

Is there a Steve Wachter coaching tree?

Aaron Ross (Cape Central head coach) wrestled for me. He was a small heavyweight. Aaron has an outstanding mom and dad. (Aaron) was tough and had grit – which I’m not sure exists much in society anymore. But they’re still important in wrestling.

You are retired from the classroom.

Since 2013. 31 years teaching early American history, government and geography in junior high. My last five years I also taught fitness education. I like history of all sorts. I like to talk about what historical figures put in certain situations decided to do.

Is there a coaching retirement date?

No, I don’t know how much longer I’ll coach. I still feel good, so no, no thoughts of stopping.

You’re a Jackson lifer.

And proud of it. I love it here. I’ve had great relationships with coaches, kids and people in town. Never had an itch to go anywhere else.

Please say a word about your family.

My wife of 29 years, Becky, is a retired kindergarten teacher. She’s sacrificed a lot to allow me to be a wrestling coach. We have two daughters, Landon, 28, and Paden, 25. Through them we have three grandchildren: a granddaughter, Noah Grace; and grandsons Judah and Eli.

Any parting thoughts?

Sometimes you do your best coaching and the results may not show it – but you’ve come a million miles with those kids. When it comes to this current team, I’ll say this - this is as good a group of young men – in terms of doing what’s right and caring about each other and people in general – as I’ve ever had.