Joe Heskett Hires New Staff for Black Knights (5/26)

Ben Golden
www.buckeyewrestling.com
Drive north on Route 9W on some September morning and you’ll climb high along the eastern slope of Bear Mountain. The mountain and other hills are blanketed in the bronze and auburn tones of turning leaves. Glance to the right and you’ll find that the mountain pinches the road narrowly along the winding Hudson, and that its waters warmly reflect the rising sun. Such is the scene that greets you before the gates of the United States Military Academy. Follow Thayer Road into the heart of Army’s campus, and then take a walk on its granite sidewalks.

Tradition.

Since 1802, thousands of America’s finest and most patriotic young men have taken this path. Countless military legends like Grant, Patton, Eisenhower, MacArthur, and Westmoreland roamed these hills as cadets. Each year, a thousand more soldiers file into that Long Gray Line, graduating into leadership roles in the U.S. Army.

If you’re still walking, you’ll find the Arvin Cadet Physical Development Center, site of the campus fitness center and the wrestling facilities for the Black Knights. This week, head wrestling coach Joe Heskett has invited three NCAA All-Americans to make the scenic trip every day as coaches.

Announced as the head coach less than a year ago himself, Heskett welcomes Dan Mitcheff, Kyle Ruschell, and Terry Madden to help build a culture of high wrestling expectation and toughness.

The Academy coaching staff has had significant turnover over the last decade, and Joe is excited to recruit a staff he expects to bring consistency for the next three to five years. “I’m really pumped up to establish some continuity that we’ve lacked in the past,” explained Heskett. “But also, these guys are young and West Point is an excellent environment to grow. We have the opportunity to build something more or less from the ground up, and that’s a valuable experience for a young coach to gain.”

Hiring three assistants would be a critical moment for any team administrator. In setting the foundation of the program, Heskett sought three traits for his hirees. “Obviously, coming to West Point, character is key. I was looking for guys who were excited not just about wrestling in the room every day, but in mentoring and developing young men.”

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