meet our coach John Mance:
four-time North Carolina All-state high school wrestler, three-time north Carolina State finalist, two-time North Carolina state champion, undefeated 44-0 with 38 pins senior year, division 1 wrestler at north Carolina State and Appalachian State University, team Southern Conference champion, 21 seasons as high school wrestling coach, texas assistant coach of the year 2008, 8 Texas dual state runner-ups as a team, texas dual state champions 2017, 5 time district coach of the year, 5 time regional champions as team,16 time district champions as a team, coached 7 state champions, coached over 60 all-state wrestlers in texas, coached 25 uil state finalists, coached 3 national champions, 3 team Usa world team members, coached 2 ufc fighters one pound for pound #1
john Mance is the son of paul Mance, 37 years as the head coach at applachian state university, coaching hall of fame and national hall of fame inductee
assistant coaches
We are blessed to have some of the best assistant coaches around and could not do this without them. Here are some of their highlights:
Jeremiah Horne: Jeremiah was introduced to wrestling in high school and wrestled his junior and senior years for his high school team. He is a U.S. Army veteran and was a Combatives Instructor for his battalion. He and his wife Samantha live in Brock with their 3 kids, Mason, Jake, and Berkleigh. He owns a restoration company and in his free time he enjoys practicing Jiu Jitsu, working out, football, and spending time with his family.
Scott Safford: Scott was raised in Weatherford and started wrestling at the age of 9 years old. He wrestled in TX USA Wrestling until he was 15 years old and was a 4-time youth state champion. His father, Rich, was paramount in getting wrestling into Weatherford High School. In WISD’s first year of wrestling, Scott qualified for state but came up short of placing. The next year, Scott’s senior year, he injured his knee and sat out wrestling season so he could focus on preparing for college football. Scott has always loved wrestling and values the many lessons the sport teaches children. He is a Captain for the Waxahachie Fire Department and has been a firefighter for 18 years. He is married to Courtney, a 7th grade teacher at Bjh. They have two children, Zane (10) and Ryann (6). Their family attends Trinity Bible Church and loves spending time outdoors!
Max Schurkamp: I’m married to Sarah (23 years together) we have 5 children. I come from a wrestling family. I have two younger brothers who have had an impressive wrestling career (Tommy and Curtis). I started wrestling a 10 years old for a small farming town Escalon, CA. In HS I placed in the top 3 in freestyle and Greco all 4 years, Qualifying for Team California. I was a three time state qualifier, Placing third my senior year. I got a full scholarship to go to Cal State Bakersfield University. Where I wrestled my freshman year after that I transferred to San Francisco state and took fourth at the division two national tournament my sophomore year. College is expensive as I was traveling back and forth home I was offered a position that I could not turn down so I moved back home and started working. I am a project manager for a Field Technology Group @ DPR Construction. My three daughters are a part of Texas eagles.
Lehi Benton: Started wrestling at a young age in Ohio, joined the Army after attending Urbana University in Ohio on a football scholarship. Deployed to Iraq 3 times as an Abram’s tank crew member/commander. Was selected to US Army Exceptional Athlete Program (wrestling), and Fort Hood (now Cavasos) Combatives/MMA team. Retired from the Army in 2013. Brown belt in Brazilian Ju Jitsu, have been coaching wrestling for 12 years.