Wv’S New Wrestling Coach Eager

Thu., June 17, 1999

By Mike Vlahovich mikev@spokesman.com (509) 927-2180

Realizing a lifetime ambition, Geoff Hensley is West Valley High School’s new wrestling coach.

Hensley, a 1990 University High School graduate, was hired to replace two-year interim Mike Williams.

Williams had stewarded the program since former coach Bill Bauman resigned after contracting leukemia.

“We’re excited about getting him,” said WV athletic director Wayne McKnight. “He’s young, aggressive and knows what he’s doing.”

The 27-year-old Hensley was a football lineman and wrestled at U-Hi. He was a top-six regional wrestler at 275 pounds for the Titans.

“When I was a senior I was named most inspirational in football and wrestling and was wrestling team captain,” said Hensley. “There’s always been something in me about teaching, coaching and being a leader. It’s been a goal my whole life.”

He graduated from the University of Idaho and has spent four years learning from several sources. For three years he helped coach in state championship football and wrestling programs at Central Valley.

Last year he was hired at West Valley and was the linebacker coach for the football team that went 5-4.

He taught two periods at the high school and the rest of his contract was with the newly opened City School. In the fall, Hensley will teach special education full-time at WV.

Now he has a chance to build a wrestling program of his own.

“What’s real neat is I’ve been around a lot of people and been influenced by a lot of them,” he said. “But I have my own philosophy.”

Specifically, Hensley will simplify practice, stressing solid basics, being good on the feet and at getting out from the base and teaching breakdowns and turns.

Hensley said he will stress more live wrestling to gain mental toughness based on his own experience as an athlete who succeeded with heart and work ethic.

Within two years, his plan is to have 50 or 60 wrestlers in the program, and to eventually have a Top-10 state team.

“I think that is a realistic goal,” he said. “Because East Valley and Moses lake have moved up, 3A is wide-open.”

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