Connellsville grad Martin to coach in the Pan-American Championships
High school wrestling season doesn’t officially open until Nov. 18, but Connellsville graduate Kyle Martin will have already coached a national team in the Pan-American Championships.
The championships will be held from Oct. 31-Nov. 3 in Panama City, Panama, and the United States will compete against countries from Central and South America and Canada.
“I will be one of two coaches,” Martin said. “We will be coaching the freestyle and Greco-Romans teams. The other coach is more of a Greco-Roman guy, so he will handle that team and I will be handling the freestyle team. We have a women’s team, but I won’t be coaching that.”
Martin, who has an eighth-place finish at the state tournament on his resume, always states that he is, “Ten times a better coach than he was a wrestler,” was honored when he was told that USA Wrestling was interested in him coaching the 15-16 year olds at an international level.
“It was humbling enough on its own to even be considered to coach the team,” Martin said. “When they sent me the email that I had been selected as one of the coaches, I was blown away. This will be my first time coaching on the international level, and the first time for our kids, too. It was a goal of mine, but never the ultimate goal.”
Martin was hoping to have at least one Pennsylvania wrestler qualify, but will have one alternate in Kiski Area’s Enzo Morlacci.
“I have all kinds of loyalty to Pennsylvania, but I have to change my hat a bit for the US team,” Martin said. “We want to have as many Pan-Am champs as we can get, and if they don’t win the titles, we want them to at least medal. I have seen a lot of these kids at development camps and I am just giddy to coach. There are a couple of kids that I coached against from Illinois, but we will put all that aside for the United States. That’s what it’s all about.”
Martin is looking to change the number of Pennsylvania wrestlers in the upcoming seasons, and hopes to take a team of Keystone State grapplers to the trials.
“The trials were held in April in Nebraska, so we had some kids that were getting ready and competing at other tournaments like the Virginia Beach Duals,” Martin said. “I really believe if we can get a team to the trials, we will have more Pennsylvania guys.”
Martin is proud to be able to continue to promote the sport, and believes his work ethic was instilled in him at an early age from his father.
“My dad is the hardest worker I know,” Martin said. “I think his work ethic rubbed off on me, and I really try to convey that to my wrestlers. I have learned different ways to develop and get better as a coach. It is great and I am looking forward to seeing more kids get the opportunities to hopefully wrestle in the Olympics in 2028.
“I also want to thank Mike Clayton. What he has taught me has changed my life and I want to constantly adjust. We are always looking at new ways to get kids better, and not just in wrestling, but in life as well.”