Foreigner takes over ML wrestling program

Who is Nathan Stanley?

The Clackamas, Ore. resident is coming to Moses Lake to shake things up as the new Moses Lake High School wrestling coach. This dawns the first time in the history of the wrestling program and its 17 state titles that a coach outside of the Moses Lake wrestling family has been chosen to fill the position.

In front of a hiring committee of 10 members and competing with three other applicants, two from in-house, Stanley was chosen unanimously for the position.

"He said he wanted to find a community that embraced and loved wrestling as much as he did," committee member Jim Nielsen said.

"I think he is a great communicator, not only in the interview room, but also in the wrestling room and that won us over," Moses Lake athletics director Loren Sandhop said. "He is very enthusiastic and a great communicator."

Regarding the hiring of an out-of-house candidate, Sandhop said "a heated discussion for four hours" was spent dealing with that issue.

"That was a hugely debated question," Sandhop added. "Do we stay in house or go outside and we decided to have the best person for the job."

"It was a difficult decision, but we are fortunate to have him," Sandhop said.

Stanley said he was just happy to get the interview.

"I was told by a friend at White River High School that Moses Lake is the best job in the state and the most prestigious," Stanley said. "Everyone involved in the program comes from Moses Lake."

Nielsen said Stanley brings enthusiasm and knowledge of the sport necessary to continue the tradition of Moses Lake with his extensive background in Greco Roman and Freestyle wrestling.

But, the catch-all qualification for Nielsen was Stanley's renovation of the wrestling programs in Clackamas and his desire to unify the junior high programs in Moses Lake to match the high school.

"He has taken a program that didn't have much support and showed quality improvement," Nielsen said. "Moses Lake has good support and with that support, the potential of the wrestling program is unlimited."

Stanley will have to fill the shoes of Ron Seibel, who retired from the program at the end of the 2003-2004 season. Seibel led the Chiefs to nine of the 17 state titles and 26 individual state champions.

"It is staggering to think of the number of losses Seibel has had," Stanley said. "There is not a whole lot of margin for error."

Stanley has been a head coach for the last five years, spending his first two years with Sandy High School, next to Mt. Hood, and the last three years with Clackamas.

He took Clackamas from sixth in the league to third-place the last two years, finishing behind the state runner-up and second runner-up in the state of Oregon. His team has also finished in the top 20 at the state tournament the last two years.

Stanley coached Scott Loescher to an individual, second-place finish in the state of Oregon in 2003, the first state runner-up in 25 years at Clackamas. Loescher was then recruited by Stanford University.

"To me, whether I am coaching the Notre Dame football team or a 1A wrestling team, they are both just as important to me," Stanley said.

Stanley is an All-American selection from Pacific University where he received a master's degree in teaching.

His hiring signifies the sixth coach for the Moses Lake High School wrestling program's history.

"He has big shoes to fill and I think he will fill them," Nielsen said.

"We are fortunate to have him here," Sandhop echoed.