READING >> In the middle of the Alvernia University wrestling room Downingtown West’s Chase Sigle hand fights with Northern Lebanon’s two-time state champion, Aaron Seidel.
A few feet away, Daniel Boone’s returning state champ, Tucker Hogan, squares off against Quakertown’s Calvin Lachman.
In the middle of it all is the man behind it all, Chance Marsteller, the wrestling phenom turned NCAA All-American, turned club wrestling coach, is sweating and drilling with some of the finest wrestlers in Pennsylvania and beyond.
A few state champs, a couple handfuls of medalists and many others chasing hardware this postseason decide to come to these practices, but getting better isn’t really an option. It’s inevitable at Steller Trained wrestling club.
Chance Marsteller talks to wrestlers at Steller Trained club during practice. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
“I’ve always told people I think I’m a better coach than I am a wrestler,” Marsteller said. “It’s what I love to do. I love this sport and I like to try to make other people, like me. I want them to love the sport as much as I do. … I think if I have a shot to mold these kids at a younger age I think I can make great athletes and greater people and that’s the goal.”
Marsteller was one of the best wrestlers in Pennsylvania history, winning four state titles and going 166-0. The thought of him being a better coach than wrestler is almost incomprehensible, but that’s exactly why it’s a who’s who group of grapplers coming in for extra practices two, three times a week.
With the Class 3A Southeast Regional tournament kicking off Friday at 5 p.m. and culminating with Saturday’s finals at 6 p.m., at Oxford High, the wrestlers who walk out of these sessions walk out with a supercharged mindset.
Chance Marsteller addresses his wrestlers at Steller Trained club after practice. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
“Our motto here is ‘winner’s win’ and that’s not a cocky thing,” Marsteller said. “It’s a lifestyle. Winner’s win means find a way. How do you find a way to win when you’re down one with short time left? How do you find a way to get your school work done when you know you have a double practice and you’re tired? That’s finding a way and winner’s win mentality.”
A quick look at the state rankings by PA Power Wrestling and you’ll see many of same District 1’s stars at Steller Trained.
Ridley’s Curtis Nelson drills at Steller Trained. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Quakertown’s Mason Ziegler (121 pounds) and Collin Gaj (152) are No. 2 in the state while Calvin Lachman (285) is No. 3. Owen J. Roberts’ Dillon Becthold is the top-ranked 215-pounder, with “little” brother Dean Bechtold No. 4 at 285 and Sam Gautreau (152) at No. 3, along with Perkiomen Valley’s Max Tancini (107).
For a kid like Ridley’s Curtis Nelson (114), who’s No. 6, the schedule and training he can get up in Berks County is worth the hike.
“I just know all these guys are high up there,” said Nelson, who became Ridley’s first state medalist last winter since 1985. “Working with them is only gonna make me better. Iron sharpens iron.”
Northern Lebanon’s Aaron Seidel, left, and Downingtown West’s Chase Sigle drill at Steller Trained. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
Sigle’s (114) there for the same reason. After finishing sixth at regionals a year ago, a win shy of qualifying for states, the West junior is looking for that edge to get over the hump.
“I know deep down in my heart I’m doing everything I can and doing the right things,” Sigle said. “When I come to this practice I’m doing extra and I just feel like I’m getting better and better and it helps my confidence a lot.”
Situated at Alvernia, right off a major highway, makes for a convenient spot for not only District 1’s finest, but the top talent in District 3 and even those like Bethlehem Catholic’s Kollin Rath (152) from District 11.
It was one of the reasons Marsteller landed there after wrestling at Kennard Dale High and then Oklahoma State and Lock Haven University. He saw it as an area with a lot of “untapped potential,” and while many of the wrestlers who show up came as well-known talents, Marsteller is not one to settle for really good when great is an option.
Chance Marsteller shows a move against Council Rock North’s Eren Sement at Steller Trained club during practice. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
“A lot of these guys I had before they were great,” Marsteller said. “They were good and everyone can be good in middle school. Every stage you go up, people don’t know how to be good or great at the next level. Yeah they were probably going to be good but I don’t know if they were going to be as great as they are and that’s my goal, to make them as great as they can be.”
What Marsteller provides can only be found in a handful of spots around the country. Listening to Marsteller coach and point out the most specific of details pales only to watching him drill.
Going live with Council Rock North’s Even Sement (127) or Pottsville’s Nick Kunstek (160), Marsteller is like a cat playing with his food, letting these studs in deep on shots, only to maneuver out of it as if it was a rehearsed fight scene.
No one knows it better than Hogan, who has developed a special bond with Marsteller and even went to the Olympic Training Center with him in the offseason.
“We’ll be going back and forth a lot and sometimes (Marsteller) just flips the switch and it’s like ‘dad mode,’” Hogan said. “It’s definitely helped me out to trying to jump levels and bring myself to the collegiate and world level that I’m trying to do.”
Inevitably future foes lock horns in the room, but the atmosphere is more family than rivalry. Everyone’s goal is the same. “Go hard and shake hands after,” as Hogan put it.
“So many good guys are coming out of here and Chance does a really good job of, when he sees kids who work hard and really wanna be good at wrestling, he takes them and makes them great wrestlers,” said Ziegler, who was a state runner-up as a junior.
Chance Marsteller shows a technique at Steller Trained club during practice. (Nate Heckenberger – For MediaNews Group)
The next nine days will make or break many wrestlers’ seasons, but Marsteller preaches mentality that expects results. Usually with the right mentality, the results follow naturally.
Marsteller’s level might never be matched in the PIAA realm, but the more who work to get there, the better everyone gets.
“Our goal is to get these kids nationally ranked and get them to go out to Vegas and win Vegas, Super 32, Fargo, make world teams,” Marsteller said. “And not everyone is going to do that but when that’s the goal the whole area is going to get better. I think it takes someone who’s been there, done that to teach these kids to do that.”
