Mark VanDamme, the new head wrestling coach at Basic, demonstrates a wrestling move with Mark Bleuze during wrestling practice.
Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008 | 2:40 a.m.
Coach Mark VanDamme watches as two members of his team wrestle during practice at Basic High School on Dec. 2. Formerly a coach at Foothill, VanDamme begins his first head coach position at Basic this year.
Mark VanDamme, the new head wrestling coach at Basic, walks amongst his team as they practice a few moves.
Expanded coverage
Basic wrestling coach Mark Van Damme expects a challenge in his first year at the helm of a high school program.
With 15 seniors gone from last season, the Wolves will have to rely on a new batch of grapplers with little varsity experience.
In the week before the season, Van Damme was still getting know his new team as they wrestled for the 14 starting spots on the roster.
"No one has a safe spot on varsity," he said while observing a pair wrestling for a starting position. "We're very inexperienced and we have a lot of work ahead of us."
Perhaps the biggest challenge will be getting used to a wrestling room without former coach Jim Duschen.
Duschen coached Basic from 1977 to 2006 and assisted Bill Pierce last season as the Wolves produced three Sunrise Region champions.
Duschen, one of the most respected local wrestling coaches, will help at Spring Valley this year.
"When I found out Pierce was leaving, I really took it to heart," senior Mark Bleuze said. "I had worked so closely with him and Duschen, so accepting someone new was difficult at first."
Senior Daniel Maman, last year's Sunrise Regional runner-up at 140 pounds, said the team has been energized by its new coach.
"We definitely have a chance to improve this year," Maman said. "This team has been working so much. Van Damme has been a big influence, his practices are more intense."
Van Damme became Basic's coach in May after six years as an assistant at Foothill.
The coach recognizes the history of wrestling at Basic, which has had four state titles since 1976. However, he is focused on making his own mark with the program.
"I can't worry about what's happened in the past," Van Damme said. "I need to worry about what's going on in the future because we're always moving forward."
Basic got off to a solid start at the Boulder City Duals on Dec. 6, by going 3-1 and taking third in the eight-team tournament.
After losing to 43-24 to eventual winners Pahrump Valley, Basic defeated Cheyenne 51-15 in the third-place match.
None of Basic's region champions are returning — senior Brian Asay, who won at 125 pounds, transferred to a high school in Utah — so the Wolves will look to Bleuze and Maman for leadership.
"Basic fits my personality," Van Damme said. "These are good kids and they have been real accepting of the way I coach, the drills I run, everything. That has helped me a lot."
Sean Ammerman can be reached at 990-2661 or [email protected].
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