On Dec. 21 wrestling head coach Glen Kurz reached the milestone of 300 career wins as the Blue Devils defeated Roselle Park by a score of 60-22.
Kurz, who has been the wrestling coach for the past 27 years and is the third coach in the program’s 70-year history now, has the most active wins of any coach in Union County. “The Union County coaches are great guys,” Kurz said. “It’s great to coach alongside them.”
Over his 27 years as head coach, bringing the team to new heights has stuck with Kurz the most. “At one point we had lost to Scotch Plains about 10 times in a row. It was 2009, we beat them 53-6,” said Kurz.
The wrestlers who were part of these big moments mean just as much to Kurz as these first-time wins. Kurz said, “When I think back to those matches, I can think about the individual kids that took part in it and that’s what’s most fun about it.”
One person Kurz has coached with for over 20 years is assistant coach John Cheddar. “Working with Coach Kurz has been an extremely satisfying experience professionally and personally.
He has built an outstanding program by all measures and is never complacent. He is always looking for ways to enhance the program and the experience of our student athletes,” Cheddar said.
Many wrestlers under Kurz have found success after high school, seen through the nine current Westfield alumni who are wrestling at the collegiate level. “I love seeing what my alumni do,” Kurz said. “They’re going off to these great schools, they’re doing these awesome things with their lives and I know that wrestling has played some role in their success.”
The impact is also felt by current wrestlers. “He made me the wrestler I am today by always believing in me when others didn’t, and always pushing me to be the best wrestler I can be,” said senior co-captain Jack McDermott.
Even with this incredible feat, Kurz knows that any accomplishment requires dedication from all of his athletes. “We have a core group of kids who have bought in, [but] we need everybody: Varsity and JV. We need everyone to buy in,” Kurz said.
One of the biggest changes Kurz has made to the wrestling program is the motto he has implemented into his team, “adding to the legacy.” This has made more of his wrestlers motivated and recognize the culture that Kurz has brought to this team. McDermott said, “The reason Coach Kurz has been so successful is because of the type of culture he pushes on us: outwork the competition, and to be good people off the mat.”
Coaches have also been in support of this motto and what it brings to the team, and Kurz has believed in this motto as much as his athletes and coaches. Cheddar said, “He instituted the motto ‘Add to the Legacy’ a few years back as a way to encourage his athletes to honor the past and encourage present and future members of the program with their participation. Meanwhile, Glen has worked hard to do the same thing as the leader of Westfield Wrestling.”
In terms of taking the next step, Kurz said, “Once we get everybody to buy in, we’re going to get a sectional and county title.”
