A couple of years ago, Highland wrestling coach Ted Sierer found himself wrestling with the decision to remain the head coach or step down so he could spend more time with his family.

Ultimately, Sierer decided to take a break from coach and even announced his intention to then Highland principal Paul Schulte.

That’s when his son, Collin, who is a 9^th-grader this year, executed a perfect reversal.

“I thought that Collin would attend our neighborhood school and that the previous season would be my last,” Sierer said.

Sierer can still remember the moment his son came and talked to him with a decision about where he wanted to attend high school.

“When my son eventually did decide to come to Highland, and wanted me to be his wrestling coach, I was very excited,” Sierer said. “I had never really felt like my coaching days were over so I’m looking forward to get back to work.”

And work is what Sierer does well.

“Don’t let him escape!”

His words echo off the walls of the cramped room filled with sweaty young men practicing their double, and single leg take downs in preparation for the upcoming season.

“Hold onto him!”

Sierer patrols the room, moving from one end to the other, watching each boy perform a designated move, critiquing and fine-tuning as he goes. It’s not uncommon to see him join in once in a while, giving wrestlers a first-hand example of what proper technique looks like.

“The thing that makes him (Sierer) special, is his dedication to the students,” principal Chris Jenson said. “He brings a level of sincerity that’s really difficult to find these days.”

Going on his 11^th season coaching wrestling at Highland, and his 10^th year as the head coach, Sierer has had the opportunity to work with hundreds of athletes and even more students.

“My favorite part of coaching is watching someone achieve something they never would have thought was possible,” Sierer said. “It’s really rewarding to see them become something they didn’t think they ever could.”

There’s nothing quite like the feeling someone gets when they win a tough match, Sierer shares that same feeling when he sees an athlete or student of his achieve something they didn’t think was possible.

Although he always loves seeing them succeed in wrestling, he gets even more excited when they are able to succeed in life.

“It thrills me to be able to see former players contribute to the community and give of themselves,” Sierer said. “That’s when you know your coaching has really paid off.”

Every Highland student that has stepped out on the matt in the past 11 years Sierer has considered “one of his boys.” This year, with a son on the team, that saying has a deeper meaning.

“Coaching my son has been a dream of mine for a long time,” Sierer said. “It’s a little different when it’s your own flesh and blood out there facing an opponent.”

Coaching his son was something Sierer had looked forward to for years, and it almost didn’t happen.

When Collin was old enough to enter into high school, he wasn’t sure if he would attend Highland. Along with that, Sierer wasn’t sure how much further his coaching career would take for him.

As a former two-time wrestling state champ, Sierer has great passion and work ethic that he has been able to transfer into his coaching. During matches, he is constantly shouting out moves and providing motivation to wrestlers. He admits that he will sometimes feel more nervous going into matches than the people actually facing an opponent.

Everyone that knows coach Sierer knows that he expects a lot out of his athletes, especially the ones that he cares for the most. As the coach’s son, Collin feels additional pressure playing for his dad, but looks forward to the opportunity.

“Having my dad as the coach gives me extra motivation to work hard,” Collin said. “I want to impress him and live up to his expectations.”

This unique opportunity has provided these two with a chance to bond over something they both enjoy doing. They each push each other to be at their best and constantly strive to get better.

“Having a chance to share a common experience with my dad is really important to me,” Collin said. “Especially because it gives us time to be with each other.”

During practice, the two Sierer wrestlers can be observed each working hard at what they do. On occasion, as Sierer (coach) moves from wall to wall correcting wrestlers he will pause to take a second look at his son, pointing out something minor that he may not have worried about with Collin’s peers; he does this out of love for his son and his desire to see him, like others he has coached, become something he didn’t think he could.