Ryan Nunamaker is 3A wrestling coach of the year

by By Mark Wogenrich OF THE MORNING CALL

Posted on March 26, 2010

Next up for Parkland wrestling coach Ryan Nunamaker is a class trip to Spain over the Easter holiday.

''I need a break from the wrestlers,'' Nunamaker said. ''And I'm sure they need one from me, too.''

Following that, however, Nunamaker, The Morning Call's 3A wrestling coach of the year, will embark on the next phase of the mission at Parkland: to defend its district championship.

In his sixth season as head coach at Parkland, Nunamaker guided the Trojans to their first team title at the District 11 wrestling championships. The milestone had been a team goal since November but resonated personally for Nunamaker as well.

A 1992 state champ at Nazareth, Nunamaker arrived at Parkland as an assistant in 2001 and took over as head coach in 2005 seeking to bring Parkland to a higher level in District 11. That meant winning a district title.

''It's something that always kind of bothered me as a coach: Why can't these other teams break through?'' Nunamaker said. ''There were days when I'd talk to my father [former Nazareth coach Ray Nunamaker] and say, 'I don't know if we can get it done at Parkland. I don't know if it's possible.' He'd tell me, 'It's possible anywhere. You just have to put your mind to it, have a plan in place and be willing to follow through. And it's not going to happen overnight.'''

Part of that plan involved hiring former Parkland wrestlers to the coaching staff. A majority of the coaches in the system wrestled for the Trojans, including all three of his varsity assistants: Derek Jenkins, Pete Grodziak and Jon Trenge.

''It was very important for me to bring in guys who wrestled at Parkland,'' Nunamaker said. ''When you're from that program, you have just a little more pride in seeing it develop and grown and reach elite status.''

It also meant something more this year, when late Parkland coach John Toggas was inducted into the Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

''John gave me my first job,'' Nunamaker said. ''I was fortunate to know him.''

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