Columbus East High School

Exciting changes are happening at Columbus East as girls wrestling makes its debut this year! With the IHSAA recently sanctioning the sport for the 2024-2025 season, the Olympians are ready to hit the mat under the guidance of their first-ever head coach, Ty Olds. Dive into the full article to learn more about this historic moment and the promising future of the program. _________ The 2024-2025 season marks a historic moment for Columbus East High School, as the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) officially sanctions girls wrestling. Taking the reins as the first-ever head coach for the newly adopted sport is Ty Olds, a seasoned wrestling coach with over two decades of experience. The Columbus East Athletic Department sat down with Coach Olds to discuss his coaching journey, his vision for the team, and what he anticipates as the program embarks on its inaugural season. Can you tell us about your coaching background and how you came to this position? "I started coaching at Jennings County High School in 2003, spending seven years as an assistant," Coach Olds shared. "After that, I took a position with Madison High School, where I coached for another seven years. I joined the boys’ team here at East in 2018 and spent six years with them. Once girls wrestling was officially sanctioned, I felt like I could help our girls grow through the sport." Olds passion for wrestling and his deep ties to the sport made him a natural fit to lead this new chapter at Columbus East. What excites you the most about coaching this team in a newly adopted sport at our high school? There’s so much support," Olds explained. "From the boys’ coaches, the wrestlers, the athletic department, the community, and other coaches and athletes—everyone wants to see these girls succeed. When all the girls who wrestled last year made the commitment to come back this season, I knew they were special. They have so much drive and determination; it’s hard not to get excited about what they can accomplish by the end of the season." Coach Olds clearly sees something extraordinary in his team, and it's that shared sense of dedication and purpose that drives his enthusiasm. How do you plan to build a strong team culture and attract new athletes to this program? Olds emphasized the importance of culture, noting how his vision aligned with that of Coach Cooper. "We have a very clear, concise foundation of expectations. Our goal is to be the best versions of ourselves in the classroom, the community, and the wrestling room. When that becomes your identity, you start to have success, and people want to be a part of that. Strong leadership is key." According to Olds, success breeds attention. When young girls see the strong leaders coming through the program, they’re inspired. "That’s what will bring more girls to the sport and our team," he added. What are your long-term goals for this team, both in terms of success and development? "We talk about goal setting a lot in our room," Olds said. "I want what we teach to be applicable in all aspects of life: leadership, accountability, perseverance, pushing past limits, and attention to detail. If our team practices these daily, that’s success." With lofty goals for the season, Olds believes his team has no limits if they buy into this mindset. "We know where we want to be by the end of the season, and I have no doubts they can reach those goals." How do you plan to balance individual development with team success? While wrestling is fundamentally an individual sport, Olds sees it differently. "The most successful programs realize it takes an entire team effort to reach full potential. It goes back to our culture and mindset. If our athletes do the right things every day, they’ll develop as individuals, and our team will be successful." What challenges do you anticipate in coaching girls wrestling, a relatively new sport in Indiana? "Anything new comes with challenges and growing pains," Olds acknowledged. "Even though we’re the fastest-growing sport in the nation, we need to sustain that growth to ensure women continue to get opportunities. We’ve been blessed at East with a large team of 20+, but it would be great to see schools across the state field full teams." How will you promote this sport and get more female athletes interested in joining the team? "There are multiple ways to do this: word of mouth from strong leaders, talking to parents about starting their daughters in our youth and middle school programs, and being creative in how we reach new athletes," Olds explained. "We’ve done things like having high school girls help with practices for our youth program. Letting young girls see a female wrestler in a leadership role is powerful." Social media, he added, has also been an effective tool for spreading the word and showcasing successful student-athletes. What’s your coaching philosophy when it comes to empowering female athletes in a traditionally male-dominated sport? "History and a lack of opportunity made wrestling a male-dominated sport," Olds stated. "But society is moving away from putting people in a box. Now that women have their own arena to compete in, there’s no limit to what they can achieve. We don’t focus on what they can’t do because they’re girls. In fact, we don’t even allow the word 'can’t' in our room. We say 'can’t yet.' To us, that’s the definition of empowerment." What unique skills or techniques do you believe are important for success in girls wrestling? Olds doesn’t see a significant difference between boys’ and girls’ wrestling. "Wrestling is a combat sport. It requires intensity, dedication, the desire to grow, quick thinking, and execution. These are universal throughout wrestling." How will you handle different experience levels, especially since some girls may be new to wrestling? "We’ll need some separation in the room for experienced and new wrestlers," Olds explained. "New wrestlers will build a strong foundation, and once they’re ready, we’ll come together as a whole. This only works when you have an experienced coaching staff, and we’re lucky to have coaches who’ve been around the sport for many years." What are your goals for the season ahead? "As I said, we have lofty goals, but they require extraordinary effort from everyone on the team," Olds stated. "Columbus East has a great reputation for developing wrestlers throughout a season, and we aim to finish better than we start. Led by a large group of seniors, we’re hitting the ground running. If we reach our potential and peak at the right time, there’s no doubt we’ll be competing for the first-ever IHSAA State Title and Team Dual State Title. These girls expect to win, and as coaches, it’s our job to help them achieve that goal." As Columbus East Girls Wrestling embarks on its inaugural season, one thing is clear—Coach Olds is determined to make it a season to remember, both in the history books and in the lives of the athletes who will compete. With his experience and the support of the community, the future looks bright for girls wrestling at Columbus East.