Blue Raider Blog – Coach Ruff

Entry 1

Corey Ruff – Head Coach

Another wrestling season is just around the corner, and it is without a doubt my favorite time of year. As a self-proclaimed ambassador of the sport, I feel it is important to expand past my job description and do what I can to help promote wrestling on all levels. With that said, it is my goal to give the readers an inside look at all things Lindsey Wilson Wrestling. Every week or two, a member of our family is going to enlighten you with his/her thoughts on what is going on from behind the scenes of our program in blog form. I hope to inject the wrestling community in Kentucky with enthusiasm for the sport at a level that far exceeds that of high school wrestling. I want you all to get a sense of what college wrestling is all about, and hope you hop on the bandwagon that is LINDSEY WILSON WRESTLING.

There is an urgency burning inside of me to be the best…to win an NAIA National Championship. I am not willing to sit back and wait for anything to come to me. I plan on taking it away from another program, and I won’t have to apologize for it. It will be done, and it will be done with dignity and pride. It will be done the right way, and it will be done quicker than anyone has ever done it before. That is my mentality. That is the challenge I have put upon myself, and everyone involved with this program has no choice but to get on board with my mission…what is now OUR MISSION. I will not settle for mediocrity and I will not waste my time with those unwilling to follow. It is my way or the highway, and I am very confident that my way will lead us to glory.

For those of you that know me, you understand that this is the way I carry myself. For those that don’t, I am certain this comes off as arrogant. Well…it is arrogant.

About a decade ago, I was at a coach’s clinic featuring Olympian James Gruenwald when he defined what he called “humble arrogance”. Defined separately, the words are antonyms. Together, and with the proper suffix, it defines a quality every wrestler should possess. Gruenwald’s message was that every wrestler must have an arrogant mentality when the opening whistle blows; and that when the final whistle sounds…resume being humble in all walks of life. I’m certain his explanation was more detailed, but from that day forward I have carried myself with a humble arrogance in every aspect of life. His reference was from a wrestling standpoint, but it can be applied in our everyday lives. Every challenge I face is attempted with poise on the outside, and an intense arrogance on the inside. Thanks to Gruenwald, I now know how to describe the quality I seek to instill in every athlete I have had the pleasure of coaching. I strive to infuse compassion…fearlessness…respect…strength…love.

Getting the LWC program off the ground has been exhausting. Coaches Cross and Perkey have definitely been a big help, and I am confident they share the same vision of being the best. We have all made significant sacrifices to put this program in position to do that as soon as possible. As a coach, there may be nothing more frustrating than to see an individual not willing to make similar sacrifices to be the best that he/she can be. At the same time, nothing is more gratifying than to see an individual who suddenly gets it…someone who may have needed to take a step back to get a new perspective on things…someone that has restored faith in something he believes is worthy of the sacrifice…someone who is infatuated with success and the work that comes with it…someone who possesses a humble arrogance in all walks of life…someone that inspires not only his teammates but fills his coaches with pride…

Our next blogger will remain a mystery, but I want you all to know that he anonymously posted this inside our wrestling room the first week of school and it has me bursting with pride to have him call me coach:

“Have Purpose When Wrestling”

Everyone wrestles for a reason, which may vary in many ways. Yet we all have one thing in common, and that is that we participate in the hardest sport out there. We beat up ourselves and others on a daily basis, repeatedly enduring the ridicule of others because they do not understand us. We are gladiators in a modern society, trying to better each other by bettering ourselves. We have the strength and knowledge to persevere through any hardship that we may encounter. We knock each other down just to pick each other right back up.

            That being said, I want you to ask yourself one question before you step into this room; why do you wrestle? Whatever the answer is, use it motivate yourself to get work done in here today and every day. Wasting time is not an option. We are a championship caliber team, and it is time we started acting like one. Now is the time to lean on each other, learn from each other, and motivate each other. Have a purpose in this room, and give back to the sport that has given us so much. Never take a single day for granted, push past your comfort level, and never break!

Lindsey Wilson College Wrestling 2010-2011 NAIA National Champions!!!!

(What does this mean to you?)

We currently have 894 facebook fans, 57 college athletes, 5 managers, 3 coaches, a wonderful group of parents, a campus ready to be entertained, and a very supportive administration involved with our program. I am grateful for the association and interest every single one of you has shown.  

-Corey Ruff

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