Brooksville Central coach: We are not what we were four years ago

BY BRANT PARSONS —

Greg Climan was first asked to coach the Brooksville Central wrestling team before the 2018-19 season, while on the school’s football staff.

He made the decision to coach the two sports despite not having any wrestling coaching experience. While he had wrestled for two years in high school, taking on the role of head coach was a completely new endeavor.  

"I'm a football coach by trade but the school needed a head wrestling coach and a former assistant said he'd help me out," Climan said. "In fact, I had a lot of help my first year."

On Climan's staff that first year was Joe Felice and Dennis Harmon. They handled the technique stuff as Climan became acquainted with the sport.

"I was just kind of being a sponge," Climan said. "I was learning how to coach."

Building a wrestling program

Brooksville Central last had a state champion wrestler in 1997 when Michael Mallin won the 189-pound title in Class 4A and its recent finishes before Climan took over included a 10th place finish in 2015.

While his first team had a state qualifier in Jesse Sorenson, they finished the season with just a handful of kids.

Each season since Climan took over, they've ended the year with more kids and last year's season ended with 16 total kids and six region qualifiers.

Senior ambitions

Brooksville Central senior Peyton Chancey battles Quinn Hopkins from Wesley Chapel in last season’s district tournament. Chancey won the match by fall. (PHOTO COURTESY OF BROOKSVILLE CENTRAL WRESTLING)

Brooksville Central senior Peyton Chancey is the only wrestler who has been with Climan from the start.

"He didn't know much about wrestling," Chancey remembers about Climan. "He had an idea by the second year and last season we really started to put it together."

For Chancey, that first year was a learning experience too.

"I had no idea what wrestling was either but Coach Harmon told me about it and said to give it a try," Chancey said. "As soon I started it was my favorite sport ever. I knew it was the sport for me."

Chancey had grown up playing sports but said that sports like football, track, and weightlifting had felt like a chore while wrestling seemed fun.

That first season, Chancey went 11-21 and went 0-2 in his district tournament.

The next year Chancey was 24-20 and reached the region tournament where he scored his first region win and last season, he was 18-11 and was 2-2 in the region tournament.

Chancey is hoping to improve even more on that this season and reach the state tournament in Kissimmee.

Brooksville Central coach Greg Climan and senior Peyton Chancey. (PHOTO COURTESY OF BROOKSVILLE CENTRAL WRESTLING)

"I want to be the next one to go to states," Chancey said. "I'm going to give it every amount of energy and mental and physical toughness that I can. Last year I was two matches away and didn't make it, I promise you I won't let that happen again."

Climan believes his four-year wrestler can achieve that breakthrough.

"He's tough, tougher than he probably realizes," Climan said of Chancey. "He'll push through injuries and situations that other kids wouldn't."

"He's developed into somebody that I would try to sell to a college program."

The season ahead

This year the team is also looking to compete for top honors in its new district.

It has depth at weight classes, parental support, and some experience coming back.

The situation is night-and-day from when Climan decided to give wrestling coaching a try.

"Being able to walk into a meet and know that it's not an easy win for people means so much," Climan said. "We are not what we were four years ago."