Web-posted Saturday, January 1, 2005
2004 Headliner Awards: Wrestling coach used adversity to build successful program
By Jeremy Heath
[email protected]
Morris News Service
Coaches who don’t communicate well with their athletes don’t typically find high levels of success.
Since the inception of Caprock’s girls wrestling program in 1998, head coach Scott Tankersley has guided the Lady Longhorns to a United States Girls Wrestling Association national title (1999-2000), two state titles (1999-2000 and 2003-04) and one state runner-up finish (1998-99).
All of those accomplishments, topped by his Caprock girls’ second state championship, make Tankersley one of the Globe-News’ Headliner Award winners for 2004.
Along the way, communication has proven to be Tankersley’s most powerful tool – and his greatest obstacle.
Tankersley is deaf.
“I find that my voice stands out in a crowd, which makes it an advantage for me, “Tankersley said. “My athletes are the only ones who can understand me on the mat. The other team will say, ‘What did he say? How do they understand him?'”
Tankersley, a 1982 Caprock graduate who was an all-district selection at linebacker his junior year, dreamed of coaching from the time he was a child. He said he never doubted himself in his pursuit of that dream. He said he did not have reason to doubt himself. He had plenty of others who did that for him.
“In order to succeed, one must develop a thick skin, “Tankersley said. “One must be immune to other people’s negative opinions or remarks concerning their dreams. When I was in middle school, I had to write a paper on what kind of career I would like to have. I knew I wanted to be a coach, despite my deafness and my speech. I wrote a paragraph on why I wanted to be a coach.
“The teacher handed the paper back to me and said, ‘Scott, you can’t be a coach. You’re deaf, and you don’t speak well enough to be a coach. Look for a non-people-related career. Please write another paper.’
“I wrote, ‘I WILL BE A COACH.'”
Tankersley got his shot to be a coach in 1989. He started at West Texas Christian and moved to San Jacinto Christian Academy where he won state titles in basketball and football in 1995.
In 1998, he was hired to coach wrestling at Caprock. It was a dream come true.
“He bleeds orange and white – he really does. “said assistant wrestling coach T. J. Johnson, who is in his 10th year at Caprock. “I know he’s had some offers to go other places, but this is where he wants to be. He grew up here, and he knows how to relate to the kids. I probably shouldn’t say this, but some coaches are too proud to stoop and to try to relate to them. We have athletes come back up here five, six years after they graduate just to see him. I think they look at him and say, ‘If he can do it, I can do it.'”
Johnson said Tankersley’s success doesn’t stem from technical wrestling knowledge.
“It’s his enthusiasm, “Johnson said. “When he walks into a room, he’s got a glow about him. He’s always got a smile on his face. He’s happy to be doing what he’s doing, and it rubs off on everybody around him.”
Tankersley, who spends countless hours studying and dissecting film, tries to maintain a high level of intensity during every practice.
“You have to passionately love your job, “Tankersley said. “It’s all about attitude. Enthusiasm is a state of mind and it causes people to put their dreams into action.
“Enthusiasm is very contagious. I strongly believe in the law of attraction. Positive people will attract other positive people and negative people will attract negative people.
“Enthusiasm will attract other enthusiastic people who want to work hard to succeed. Enthusiasm will cause athletes to work harder.
“Believe me, I’ve seen it.”
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