Jeff King has been hired as EHS’s wrestling coach, replacing James Conniff. King is in his 16th year coaching and has had stops at Lebanon, and Centerville. 

 “Coming in as the new head coach after James Conniff is not easy. That family has done more for this program than any coach in Edgewood history and built a winning tradition. James has been a tremendous mentor and a great friend and it will be a little different not seeing him in the corner,” King said.

King wants his team to specialize in one major component on the mat. 

“My wrestling style is very straightforward; offense, offense, and more offense.  We will be a very physical and offensive team,” King said. 

King will rely on key returners, juniors Isaiah Nichols and Kobe Salyers next season.   

“We are going to need them to lead these young wrestlers,” King said.

Kobe is very excited about the new coach.

 “He has a good coaching style and is close with the team since he was an assistant coach last year,” Kobe said. 

King has a memorable moment coaching.

 “I coached a kid at Centerville High School from 2018-2021 who was on the Autism spectrum.  He had never played a sport in his life when I convinced him and his mother to come out and wrestle for me.  He was never a great wrestler but he was the glue to our team for the 3 years he wrestled.  He made us become a family. The amount of growth he had in his social life was remarkable.  I often tell people I was an average coach before him and he made me into a better coach.  Him wrestling helped me as much in my coaching life as I could have ever helped him,” King said.

Even though the Cougars will be young next season, Coach King has high expectations for his team.

 “Our goals are very simple:   be great in the classroom and in the community, show grit in everything you do, win a league title, get all weight classes out of Sectionals and into Districts. Qualify for State, win a state title,” King said. 

Salyers has a big goal in mind for himself this season.

“I’m hoping to make it to state this year,” Salyers said.